We were our own worst enemy – Mark Robins rues end to Coventry winning run
Mark Robins admitted Coventry dropped below the standards they have set as their three-match winning run in the Championship came to an end with a 2-2 draw against Bristol City.
Tatsuhiro Sakamoto gave the Sky Blues the lead against the run of play before goals from Rob Dickie and Nahki Wells put the visitors ahead with seven minutes remaining.
But just two minutes later Max O’Leary spilled Liam Kitching’s shot and Ellis Simms was on hand to tap in the equaliser.
Robins said: “Look, we dipped below the standards we have set. It looked like we had played two games on a real heavy pitch last week (at Hillsborough).
“They’ve got a lot of quality in the team. We didn’t show our quality enough.
“Our two goals were decent goals. Their two goals were really poor – a second phase of a set-play and a shot from Nahki Wells, who is a really good finisher but we gave him a little bit too much time and space.
“We were our own worst enemy. We gave away the ball too often and it was a bit negative.”
After a first half that saw Brad Collins forced into saves from Jason Knight and Taylor Gardner-Hickman, the Sky Blues stopper pulled off a miraculous reaction save to prevent Harry Cornick making it 3-2 to the visitors at the death.
Robins added: “I’ve got to be happy with a point. Brad’s save at the end was world-class. It keeps us in there at 2-2.
“If you can’t win, then don’t lose. That was the best I can say about things.
“I thought Tatsuhiro did really well, scored a really good goal and there were little glimpses at times when it looked like we might go and do something but there was no fluidity there.
“You’ve got to credit them in some respects with the way they went about their work. It has got to be a point gained.”
Bristol City head coach Liam Manning, on the other hand, said: “I think it’s two points lost with the time we go ahead.
“It was against the run of play because we had stopped controlling the game how we want, Nahki produced a real high moment of quality to go ahead and then obviously when you’ve got eight, nine, 10 minutes to see out the game.
“We’d done such a good job of that beforehand, restricting them to crosses and very few chances, you get that emotional rollercoaster of conceding so soon after.
“But you also have to step back and the bigger picture is we’ve come to a side who are in form, on a good run themselves, and I thought we created numerous opportunities to hurt them, cause problems and did some really good things.
“Their goal in the first half was against the run of play – I thought we conceded two really soft goals tonight, I thought first 15 minutes we could have been one or two ahead and got into some really good areas.
“I spoke to the lads about it, we’ve got to stop being ‘nearly’ and deliver and execute, for me that ruthless edge, (we’re) letting teams off the hook.”
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Historic redemption: Dethroned Manning Cup champs Mona High secure Walker Cup triumph
Dethroned Manning Cup champions Mona High found solace and silverware on Friday, as they secured their first-ever ISSA/Digicel Walker Cup crown with a commanding 4-1 victory over Excelsior High in what turned out to be a lopsided final at the National Stadium.
The triumph, highlighted by Kshaine Gordon’s brace (52nd, 76th) and goals from Carlton Brown (34th) and Marlon Cunningham (55th), provided a fitting end to Mona’s campaign.
Technical Director Craig Butler, who announced his departure from schoolboy football, celebrated the victory as a testament to his team's resilience after their Manning Cup disappointment.
“I think it (time in schoolboy football) has been great; I think it is good for development, not just for Mona but the entire school system, as we sought more development versus recruiting for professionalism in the programme. So I am just proud and happy that I could have shared the time with Mona and that we have a team that is going to continue to develop good young footballers,” Butler said.
For Excelsior, who got their consolation from Damarley Williams (12th), the defeat marked another painful chapter in their Walker Cup history, extending their title drought, which dates back to 2008. Despite their energetic start, they faltered under pressure and failed to maintain their intensity or take advantage of critical moments.
Head coach Keon Broderick acknowledged that much.
“Defensive errors cost us dearly; when you make mistakes against a team with the quality in the attacking third like this Mona team, they will come back to haunt you,” Broderick said post-game.
After a lively start in which they displayed their attacking intent, Excelsior eventually opened the scoring when Williams unleashed a powerful right-footed shot from outside the 18-yard box that slipped past Mona’s goalkeeper, Riquelme Edwards.
The Mountain View-based team maintained their attacking momentum, with Kimarly Scott and Shadeko Wizzard creating opportunities, but they squandered critical chances, failing to capitalize on Mona’s defensive lapses.
In the 25th, Kimarly Scott should have doubled Excelsior’s lead when he got behind defenders, but fired a rushed effort over the crossbar. Seconds later, Scott again got into a decent position from Shadeko Wizzard’s delightful pass, but somehow again fired over the crossbar.
Excelsior were later punished for their missed opportunities as they watched Mona seize control of the match during a passage of sustained pressure. Mona found the equalizer when Kshaine Gordon outwitted his marker to set up Brown, who calmly finished from inside the box.
Excelsior had another chance to reclaim the lead on the stroke of half-time, but Wizzard’s shot from a promising position sailed wide, leaving the teams locked at 1-1 at the break.
The second half belonged entirely to Mona, as Gordon’s relentless energy paid off seven minutes into the resumption when he pounced on a loose ball to fire home from close range to put his team 2-1 up.
Three minutes later, Cunningham extended the advantage as he rose above Excelsior’s defenders to head home a perfectly weighted corner from Denzel McKenzie.
Mona’s attacking intent continued as Gordon returned to haunt Excelsior in the 76th minute, converting a through ball from McKenzie with a low drive that slipped under goalkeeper Jamari Gordon to cap the win.