Coventry goalkeeper Ben Wilson rescues vital point with late equaliser

Posted Thursday, April 20, 2023 by PA

Coventry goalkeeper Ben Wilson scored a controversial equaliser five minutes into added time to snatch a dramatic 1-1 draw at fellow Championship play-off chasers Blackburn.

The Sky Blues, who had been lacklustre for much of the game, looked to be heading for a damaging defeat in their hopes of reaching the top six after deservedly falling behind to a guided header by Sam Gallagher six minutes before the break.

But Mark Robins’ men, who failed to have a shot in anger in the first half, sprung into life in the final minutes of the game and Wilson, up for the last attack of the game, bundled a Gustavo Hamer corner over the line to snatch a remarkable point that could prove decisive at the end of the season.

Coventry remain a point behind sixth-placed Blackburn after stretching their unbeaten away run to eight.

Rovers moved back into the play-off spots but this will feel like a defeat after controlling much of the game.

The hosts were without the injured Harry Pickering from the draw with Hull. He was replaced by Callum Brittain as one of three changes.

Blackburn made the brighter start and should have taken a 10th-minute lead but Gallagher planted a free header straight at Wilson.

Unchanged Coventry looked nervous, misplacing a string of passes, and an assured Blackburn carved out another opening 10 minutes before the break when neat play set Joe Rankin-Costello on his way into the area but his low shot was blocked.

There was no escape in the 39th minute though as Blackburn once again sliced the visitors open with a slick counter that ended with Rankin-Costello whipping a wonderful ball into the box that Gallagher stooped to head emphatically into the right corner.

Despite their poor first half, the Sky Blues should have equalised three minutes after the restart when Hamer was able to run 30 yards forward with the ball under no pressure before hammering just over the crossbar.

He combined well with Viktor Gyokeres a minute later to set up another shooting opportunity but Aynsley Pears got down to his left to save.

At the other end, a well-worked free-kick saw Dominic Hyam play the ball into Gallagher’s path but his powerful shot was blocked, saving a certain second.

A frantic finale saw a vicious Hamer free-kick tipped behind by Pears, who did even better in the 90th minute to pluck Hamer’s corner from under his crossbar to save his team again.

But with their final attack, Hamer’s set-pieces paid dividends, as his near-post corner was deflected into the path of the onrushing Wilson who touched the ball home to send the 2,818 visiting fans wild, although replays showed the ball may have hit his hand.