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Mark Robins makes Coventry City point as players take all three at Middlesbrough
Mark Robins believes Coventry City’s first Championship away win of the season has been a “long time coming” after a number of recent performances haven’t always provided what he considers the right results.
Goals from Bobby Thomas, Haji Wright and Josh Eccles secured a brilliant three points for the Sky Blues at Middlesbrough. They kept only their second clean sheet of the campaign so far and also backed up last weekend’s confidence-boosting victory over Luton Town to move up to 13th in the table.
“I’m pleased because it’s been a long time coming, but it’s always been there; the performances have been here but it’s just the results haven’t followed the performances, which gives people a bit of anxiety from time to time,” the manager said after the 3-0 win at the Riverside Stadium, where the hosts were reduced to 10 men early on in the game due to Hayden Hackney picking up a second yellow card.
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“What they did today, regardless of the numbers being reduced early on in the game, was that we started off brilliantly. The game became bitty and there was a bit of tit for tat in there. They were trying to get one of ours sent off, throwing themselves to the floor at every opportunity and the referee was dishing out yellow cards and I was a bit concerned that the numbers would be evened. But I thought we played really well when they had eleven.
“And when they went down to ten men it had a change in focus and direction really. They got a little bit more of the ball and they are a good team. They are very clever and drag you into positions you don’t want to be in, and I think Ben Doak was a big miss for them today. He’s been one of the shining lights for them.”
He added: “We wanted to try to stop them dictating the play but when they went down to ten men we dropped and sank away and allowed them to start to get control. But we came back from that, although they created some chances and could have scored themselves, thankfully it didn’t go in. Ollie (Dovin) didn’t have many saves to make today but there were some balls flying around the penalty area that could easily have gone in.
“We got some good blocks and headers away and eventually we became more composed and that came with the second goal, which was a brilliant goal. It was a great ball into the box from Tatsu and Haji has just guided it in. And the third one, Haji has played Josh Eccles through and he has run through and picked his spot brilliantly.
“We had a goal disallowed for off-side and the goal from the set-play was really good, so there were some really good things from us. I have to say that I am happy but it has been a long time coming. But we have been due a little bit of luck.”
