Viktor Gyokeres’ last-gasp leveller earns Coventry a point against Blackburn

Posted Sunday, April 03, 2022 by PA

Viktor Gyokeres’ equaliser in the ninth minute of stoppage time cancelled out Bradley Dack’s first goal in over a year as Coventry drew 2-2 with Blackburn at the CBS Arena.

Dack had scored his first Rovers goal since returning from injury as Tony Mowbray’s side took a 2-1 lead after being 1-0 down through Harry Pickering’s own goal.

Scott Wharton put the visitors in front in the 82nd minute but Gyokeres’ back-post header snatched a point for the Sky Blues at the death.

Both teams made three changes as Pickering, Ryan Nyambe and Joe Rankin-Costello replaced Darragh Lenihan, Reda Khadra and Tyrhys Dolan for Blackburn.

Mark Robins, who had missed Coventry’s previous two home games with Covid, recalled Michael Rose, Ian Maatsen and Gyokeres in place of Ben Sheaf, Jake Clarke-Salter and Jordan Shipley.

The Sky Blues were incensed after just seven minutes when Jan Paul Van Hecke crossed paths with Matty Godden as the striker honed in on goal before going down, but referee Peter Bankes judged there to be no contact, much to the disgust of Godden and the Sky Blues bench.

Coventry would claim justice was served within 60 seconds.

Godden set Callum O’Hare free and the midfielder’s mazy run was met by Pickering, but the defender’s intervention led to the ball agonisingly rolling past goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski and into the corner of the Blackburn net.

Gustavo Hamer twice came close to doubling Coventry’s lead, first when his curling long-range effort beat the sprawling Kaminski but came back off the outside of a post.

Less than five minutes later Hamer’s free-kick stung the palms of the Belgian stopper as Robins’ men went in search of a second.

Blackburn, who managed just one shot on target in the opening 45 minutes, brought on star striker Ben Brereton Diaz and Dack at the break to immediate effect and seconds after the restart their seven-and-a-half-game wait for an away goal was over.

Nyambe and John Buckley combined down the right and the latter picked out Dack in the box to head home his 50th Rovers goal in front of a jubilant away end.

Dack’s goal brought a real momentum swing as Joe Rothwell danced past the Coventry defence before squaring just out of reach of the diving Dack, who was looking to complete the turnaround.

Rovers had their goal after 82 minutes when Rothwell’s corner was met by Wharton and he guided a powerful header into the far corner.

But the drama was far from over as Gyokeres was picked out by Fankaty Dabo to slam home a last-gasp header, keeping the hosts six points off the play-off places and extending Blackburn’s eight-match streak without an away win.