Southampton extend unbeaten run to 12 games with draw at Coventry

Posted Thursday, December 14, 2023 by PA

Samuel Edozie scored his first goal since September to extend Southampton’s unbeaten run to 12 games with a 1-1 draw at Coventry.

The former Manchester City winger had been an unused substitute in the Saints’ last three outings, but came off the bench to cancel out Haji Wright’s opener.

Russell Martin’s men pushed tirelessly for a winner in the closing stages, but the draw keeps Southampton firmly in the play-off positions – 12 points behind second-placed Ipswich.

The Sky Blues were forced to withstand heavy pressure against the possession-hungry Saints in the first half as Adam Armstrong attempted to add to his 12 Sky Bet Championship goals this season.

The forward scored 20 goals for Coventry on loan from Newcastle in the 2015-16 season and forced home goalkeeper Brad Collins into action after 10 minutes when he cut inside from the right and fired a low effort at goal.

Bobby Thomas came flying out of defence to block Armstrong’s next effort after a smart short corner routine before Ellis Simms hooked off the line.

Ryan Manning almost put Southampton ahead when he met a Kyle Walker-Peters cross midway through the first half.

But Coventry withstood the pressure, seeing just 24 per cent of the ball in the opening 45 minutes, before Jamie Allen fired wide from the edge of the box.

Simms had scored in just one of the 21 appearances for the Sky Blues prior to the Saints’ arrival and Gavin Bazunu stood firm to block the former Everton man’s effort after he was played in by Tatsuhiro Sakamoto.

Coventry’s positive end to the half gave Robins’ men confidence after the break and they were inches from going ahead through Callum O’Hare, fresh off his first goals in over 18 months against Birmingham last time out.

Milan van Ewijk created space for himself down the right and pulled back for O’Hare, whose sweetly struck effort crashed off the crossbar and away to safety.

The Sky Blues were ahead just two minutes later when Wright found himself in acres of space inside the box and shifted the ball inside before slotting home his sixth of the season.

The opening goal came following some good work from O’Hare, who held off Manning before calmly slotting in Wright with the Southampton defence all at sea.

Southampton’s search for an equaliser saw Stuart Armstrong force Collins into a low save to his left, whilst Martin introduced Edozie alongside Ryan Fraser from the bench.

Both substitutes were heavily involved in the equaliser just seven minutes later as Fraser’s cross was nodded on by Adam Armstrong to Edozie, who controlled the ball with his chest before finding the far corner.

From then on it was all Southampton as Joe Aribo’s left-footed effort whistled past the upright.

Thomas had his heart in his mouth when he diverted Fraser’s cross agonisingly wide of the post, whilst Adam Armstrong’s first effort was blocked and his well-struck follow-up brushed the top of the crossbar.