Yahoo News Andy Turner's Coventry City player ratings as Sky Blues stars bow out with QPR defeat
Coventry City ended their season with a disappointing CBS Arena defeat despite dominating much of the game against a smash and grab QPR. Despite the Sky Blues looking in control of a fairly pedestrian first half, the visitors took the lead when Ilias Chair was given far too much space outside the box with the midfielder curling a brilliant finish into the top corner, leaving Brad Collins rooted to his line.
The visitors then doubled their lead five minutes from the break when a free-kick to the far posted was tapped home by full-back Morgan Fox as his marker, Ellis Simms, failed to get a strong enough challenge in to stop him. Simms went close to reducing the deficit early in the second half when the keeper made an impressive save, as he did again just after the hour when he dived to his left to push clear a Callum O’Hare shot that looked destined for the back of the net.
Jamie Allen went on in the 81st minute and pulled a goal back two minutes later when he nodded home unmarked at the far post from a Haji Wright cross as City dominated the entire second half. The defeat was City's fifth in their last six winless league games.
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STARTING FORMATION: 4-2-3-1
BRAD COLLINS: 5
Not tested a great deal in the first half an hour but well beaten by a curling effort into the top corner that left him rooted to his line in the 33rd minute. Beaten at his far post from a deep free-kick which Morgan Fox taps home unchallenged before the break. Didn’t have a great deal to do overall and virtual bystander in the second half.
MILAN VAN EWIJK: 6
A decent outlet down the right when he got going on the overlap. Denied by a good reaction save from the keeper when he got on the end of a Bidwell cross to send a powerful header goalwards. Effective high up the pitch in the second half but couldn't find the killer ball to unlock Rangers' defence.
BOBBY THOMAS: 5
Defended well with plenty of well placed headers. Conceded the free-kick outside the ox that led to Rangers’ second goal. Had a late effort deflected wide. Looked understandably tired.
LUIS BINKS: 6.5
Returned to the starting line-up from an Achilles injury to take up his place in the back four for the last time as a loan player, and he was calm when defending and played some lovely long passes with his left boot.
JAKE BIDWELL: 6
Played some nice balls up the line for Haji and had the measure of wide man Chris Willock. Sent in the occasional cross but made way for Dasilva after the hour.
BEN SHEAF: 6.5
Oozed quality in the middle of the park, when he slid in to win the ball and played some neat and tidy passes. Worked hard and looked after the ball well when he had it.
LIAM KELLY: 7
Vintage Kelly in the middle, calm and collected, knocking the ball about well and getting a foot in to help win the ball back. Given a warm ovation and the fans sang his song when he was replaced by Palmer on 66 minutes, bringing an end to his superb seven year career at the club.
JOSH ECCLES: 6
Deployed high and wide on the right again and got forward well as City dominated the ball early on. Had a decent effort in the 27th but his hard and low shot was blocked by a defender but wasted a good opportunity before the break when the ball was played into space but he hit it first time high over the bar.
CALLUM O’HARE: 6.5
Busy and lively in the final third where he worked hard, drew fouls to win free-kicks and forced the keeper into an early save. Denied by a very good save on the hour, after which the home fans sang his song aloud.
HAJI WRIGHT: 6
A decent outlet down the left flank where he used his ace to good effect and linked up nicely with Bidwell but not enough of a threat on goal. Sent in the cross for Allen to score late on.
ELLIS SIMMS: 6.5
Nipped in on a short backpass to attempt to poke past the keeper as early as the third minute but Joe Walsh blocked the effort. Should have done better for QPR’s second goal when he failed to challenge Morgan Fox at the back post. Denied by a brilliant save from the keeper early in the second half.
SUBSTITUTES:
KASEY PALMER (66 mins, for Kelly): 5.5
Played some decent passes into the box and added an attacking thrust as City desperately tried to find a goal to get themselves back in the game.
JAY DASILVA (66 mins, for Bidwell): 5
Got forward well as City dominated but simply couldn’t break QPR down or find the quality to score.
VICTOR TORP (75 mins, for O’Hare): 5.5
Back from injury and looked decent as City dominated the second half.
MATTY GODDEN (75 mins, for Simms): 5
Worked hard but never had an opportunity.
JAMIE ALLEN (81 mins, for Eccles): 6
Nodded home at the far post to pull a goal back for City.
Subs (not used): Ben Wilson (GK), Dermi Lusala, Kai Andrews, Aidan Dausch.
QPR (4-2-3-1): Joe Walsh; Kenneth Paal, Reggie Cannon, Steve Cook, Morgan Fox; Isaac Hayden, Elijah Dixon-Bonner; Ilias Chair, Lucas Andersen, Chris Willock; Lyndon Dykes.
Subs (not used): Matteo Salamon (GK), Jimmy Dunne, Jack Colback, Jake Clarke-Salter, Sam Field, Paul Smyth, Ziyad Larkeche, Stuart Armstrong, Albert Adomah.
GOALS:
SKY BLUES: Allen (83)
QPR: Chair (33), Fox (40)
REFEREE: Josh Smith
ATTENDANCE: 29,102 (2,534 away).
