Written by billythekid
Going into our game against Middlesbrough on Good Friday we knew that Nottingham Forest had lost at Luton and a win at Dean Court against Middlesbrough would have put more ground between Forest and ourselves. As it turned out we gained a point, but the other results in the chasing pack finished in our favour, with Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United losing and Huddersfield Town drawing at home with QPR.
The game against Middlesbrough was the first time this season we have gone three games in succession where our side haven’t scored. With six games to go now our second game over the Easter Holiday is away against Coventry City on Monday at 3 pm. The Sky Blues moved back to the Ricoh Arena for the start of this season.
After our game back in November at Dean Court which finished honours even with a 2-2 draw. The Cherries were 2-0 up with goals from Anthony and Billing, two minutes after our second goal Lerma was straight red-carded and City came back with two late goals from Godden and Kane, the equaliser coming in injury time. After 20 games the Cherries were in 2nd place in the table with 42 pts and City 6th with 33 pts.
Since that game, Mark Robins team have slipped back in the table and going into this game are after 42 games sitting in 9th position in the table with 62 pts. At home, since November they have beaten Stoke City, Barnsley and Sheffield United, drawn with Blackpool, Preston and Blackburn Rovers and lost against West Brom, Millwall, QPR, Luton Town and Hull City. On their away trips they have W 4 (including this month 1-3 at leaders Fulham, D 2, L 4. Their most recent game was at St Andrew’s, the home of Birmingham City, the ground Coventry City played their home games last season. It finished in a 2-4 Coventry City win.
The last time we played the Sky Blues was the fourth game of the 2020-21 season, the game was played at St Andrew’s (mentioned above), it finished in a 1-3 AFCB victory, the opening goal was scored by Lerma in the 7th minute, Godden equalised from the penalty spot in the 39th minute and in the second half two further goals from Gosling in the 51st and 60th minute sealed the victory. Hamer received a straight red card in the 69th minute for the home club.
In our visits to play away against Coventry City, AFCB have W 7, D 2, L 14. In all competitions, the Cherries have W 18, D 1, L 23.
Coventry v AFCB
Coventry Win
Draw
AFCB Win
Coventry City Team News
They have lost their second-leading scorer Matt Godden for the rest of the season with a calf tear and Jake Clarke-Salter who is out for the rest of the season with a groin injury. Josh Eccles ankle injury and Jordan Shipley has been out ill.
Coventry City Player To Watch
Viktor Gyokeres their Swedish striker is in form and is their leading scorer with 15 league goals and also has 5 assists. The leading player with 9 assists is Gustavo Hamer, he also had two assists in his most recent game at Birmingham.
AFCB Team News
No news of any fresh injuries after the Middlesbrough game, expect to see one or two changes for Coventry.
AFCB Player To Watch
Dominic Solanke hasn’t scored in his last three league games, this is only the second time this season, the last time was in January. So he is due a goal. But apart from Solanke, who can we look to for goals, our joint second-highest scorers with 8 goals are Philip Billing and Jaidon Anthony. Billing hasn’t scored for 10 league games and Anthony for 4 games, but he started on the bench in our last two games. Apart from Solanke’s goals and Travers who has been brilliant in goal this season it is hard to pick anyone else. It has been a team effort to get our side to second in the table.
The Man In Charge
Matthew Donohue is the referee.
We have had him at home against Hull City and away at Preston which both ended in defeat. The Preston game will be remembered for the two red cards given, both off the field of play, Adam Smith who had been substituted and our manager Scott Parker. Let’s hope this is third time lucky for our team with this referee!
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