Ten-man Coventry City launched a remarkable second half recovery as goals from
Noel Whelan and Trond Soltvedt earned them a vital victory in the Premiership
relegation battle with Charlton at Highfield Road.
Coventry looked down and out when they had striker John Aloisi sent off just
60 seconds after John Robinson had given Charlton a 56th minute lead.
Former Portsmouth player Aloisi lashed out at Charlton defender Danny Mills
after he had held onto the ball when the home side were trying to take a
throw-in.
It was a blow for the Sky Blues but one thing Coventry will never do while
Gordon Strachan is at the helm is throw in the towel.
After dominating the first half, they showed tremendous determination to force
their way back into the game after the Robinson and Aloisi double setback.
The on-song Whelan - surely an England candidate if he maintains his present
form - brought them back on level terms with a brilliantly executed goal.
Then substitute Soltvedt turned the match on its head with the winner five
minutes from time.
Soltvedt's shot took a deflection but few would begrudge Coventry victory -
over the 90 minutes they played the more purposeful football.
Charlton only really held the initiative in the opening 15 minutes of the
second period.
Coventry were soon into their stride and looked full of confidence after their
first-ever win at Villa Park in their previous encounter.
Gary McAllister was influential in the centre of the park while the pace of
Darren Huckerby posed problems for Alan Curbishley's side.
It was Huckerby who wasted Coventry's best chance of the opening period when
he beat the offside trap to race onto Paul Telfer's chip.
But the England B striker elected to shoot first time when he had the space to
bring the ball under control and his volley flew over the bar.
Aloisi, two-goal hero against Villa, slid in at the near post to divert a
Huckerby centre just wide and then Simon Royce turned over a looping header from
the edge of the area by David Burrows.
Charlton struggled to make any impact as an attacking force, relying mainly on
long-range efforts which were no problem for Magnus Hedman.
McAllister's precise pass released Stephen Froggatt in the Charlton penalty
area and it needed a last-ditch tackle from Danny Mills to block his shot.
But Charlton almost snatched the lead against the run of play in the 39th
minute when Martin Pringle, who this week signed a three-and-a-half year
contract, was put clear by Neil Redfearn.
The former Benfica player had only Hedman to beat but his fellow Swede blocked
his shot with his body at the expense of a corner.
It was a different story at the start of the second period as Charlton showed
far more enterprise which was eventually rewarded when Robinson gave them a 56th
minute lead.
Coventry had already been given a warning when Pringle headed over from close
range when unmarked following a pin-point centre from Robinson.
But they failed to heed it and Robinson scrambled the ball over the line from
close range after Hedman had blocked efforts from Pringle and Hunt.
Hedman was furious at the goal being allowed to stand and was yellow carded
after protesting to referee Jeff Winter.
Then came the Aloisi red card but Coventry refused to buckle and in the 67th
minute the Charlton defence was breached for the first time in 427 minutes.
Huckerby played the ball into Whelan on the edge of the area and his low first
time shot curled past Royce into the corner of the net.
Then with five minutes left Highfield Road erupted when Soltvedt picked up the
ball on the edge of the area and his powerful shot deflected past Royce into the
net.
Teams:
Coventry: Hedman, Nilsson, Shaw, Williams, Burrows, Whelan,
Telfer, McAllister, Froggatt, Huckerby (Soltvedt 75), Aloisi.
Subs Not Used: Ogrizovic, Konjic, Gioacchino, Shilton.
Sent Off: Aloisi (57).
Booked: Hedman, Whelan.
Goals: Whelan 67, Soltvedt 85.
Charlton: Royce, Mills, Brown, Tiler, Powell, Kinsella, Redfearn (Barnes 63), Robinson (Barness 69), Jones,Hunt (Mortimer 79), Pringle.
Subs Not Used: Ilic, Mendonca.
Booked: Redfearn.
Goals: Robinson 55.
Att: 20,259
Ref: J Winter (Stockton-on-Tees).
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