Coventry disappointed not to take all three points – Mark Robins

Posted Saturday, December 11, 2021 by PA

Boss Mark Robins hailed a deserved point as Coventry struck late to grab a crucial 1-1 draw at Sky Bet Championship play-off rivals Huddersfield.

Matt Godden flicked in a stoppage-time header to cancel out Danny Ward’s superb strike and salvage a point that seemed set to evade the Sky Blues, who continue to struggle away from home where they have found just two wins all season.

“Every point in the Championship is hard-fought but we played really well, other than the final finish,” said Robins.

“(We had) 22 shots on goal, over 65 per cent possession and enough chances to win this game, next week’s game and the one after that.

“They had two chances and we had so many. We were good value for at least a point and we are disappointed to not take all three.

“I did feel the goal might not come. We have good goalscorers but chances were falling to players low on confidence and that’s our problem.

“It was a really good, tactical game, and it was difficult to break their line down. We have thoroughly deserved that, and any point is a big point.

“Callum O’Hare and Jamie Allen were really good. Callum gives us work-rate and creates chances. Jamie has been unlucky with the lack of game time but I know I can count on his quality and tactical nous.

“I don’t like the phrase ‘overachieving’ as it’s disrespectful, but we are – we are stretched and do run things as tight as we can.

“The support has been immense and that has been the catalyst for the change. I’m not satisfied where we are but we do need to be more ruthless and we will end up in a healthy position. It is a healthier club than when I walked in a few years ago.”

Town boss Carlos Corberan was frustrated to drop two points so late in the game.

“We conceded too many chances,” he said. “We were close to the win but we needed to do more in the second half. We needed to attack more. We didn’t attack in the second half.

“We attacked well in the first half. We didn’t use the ball well enough and were defending too deep. We needed to change the emotion and feeling of the game and it always felt like they were close to scoring.

“We didn’t show our personality enough and as such we risked the result and that is what happened today.

“When you are not attacking for 45 minutes, it is not enough. We lacked personality in attack. First of all we need to convince ourselves to control the ball better. When we control the ball we need to score more than one. We just didn’t do enough.

“We need to solve it with the players that we have. We need to understand how important it is to have the ball and attack with it.”

The draw means it is now just one win in seven for both sides, and Corberan wants a response.

“In the Championship it is always important to react and show character,” he said. “We can see the team improve and win, and I take responsibility when we are not attacking well. I need to convince the players to have the personality to attack more.

“We can attack better and be more aggressive defensively. All I can do is detect areas to improve and try to improve them.

“If our goalkeeper is the best player that means we didn’t defend or attack well enough. Lee (Nicholls) is fantastic and was our best player today, but it is difficult to accept when your goalkeeper is your best player.”