Coventry Metropolis 1-2 Southampton: Flynn Downes and Kuryu Matsuki earn victory at Championship leaders

In-form Southampton ended Championship leaders Coventry’s six-match successful run with a 2-1 victory on the CBS Area.

Flynn Downes pounced on a rebound to open the scoring shortly after half-time earlier than Kuryu Matsuki doubled Southampton’s lead with 5 minutes remaining.

Victor Torp’s stoppage-time penalty gave Frank Lampard’s aspect hope within the closing moments, however the Sky Blues have been condemned to only their second dwelling defeat of the season.

It meant that Tonda Eckert’s aspect saved tempo with sixth-placed Wrexham within the race for the play-offs as Saints prolonged their unbeaten run in all competitions to 12.

It was a cagey opening, though Cyle Larin nearly opened the scoring for Southampton when he hooked narrowly broad from Matsuki’s header again throughout aim.

Larin, who scored a last-gasp equaliser at West Brom on Wednesday, was one in every of three adjustments to Saints’ beginning XI.

There was an enormous blow for the guests as Leo Scienza, who got here off within the draw towards the Baggies, did not get well in time to be within the squad.

Coventry’s fundamental risk got here down the left by way of Ephron Mason-Clark, who had the beating of James Bree and crossed for Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, however the Japanese winger may solely head over.

Luke Woolfenden then headed broad from shut vary from one other Mason-Clark cross as Coventry continued to trigger points from out broad.

Southampton then had Bayern Munich loanee Daniel Peretz to thank as he made an unimaginable save to stop Liam Kitching from opening the scoring on his one centesimal look for the Sky Blues.

Haji Wright had been given a relaxation in Coventry’s 3-0 win over Preston in midweek however was recalled to the beginning line-up, and the American striker nearly added to his 16 league targets this season when he volleyed Mason-Clark’s cross inches broad.

Southampton surprised the CBS Area simply three minutes after the restart.

Matsuki’s cross evaded each Larin and goalkeeper Carl Rushworth and rebounded off a put up, the place it was met by the onrushing Downes who couldn’t miss from contained in the six-yard field.

Ryan Manning went near doubling Southampton’s lead six minutes later with a free-kick that whistled previous the right-hand put up.

Wright had scored six targets in Coventry’s six video games for the reason that flip of the yr and was offered with a golden probability to equalise when he headed Milan van Ewijk’s hanging cross straight at Peretz.

Southampton doubled their benefit in lucky vogue when Bree’s nook hit the leg of the unmarked Matsuki and rolled previous the helpless Rushworth.

Torp then stepped as much as dispatch a penalty he had received himself after he was fouled by Shea Charles.

The inevitable onslaught adopted as Coventry desperately looked for an equaliser, however Peretz was capable of breathe a sigh of aid when he held onto Romaine Esse’s shot following a goalmouth scramble.

The managers

Coventry’s Frank Lampard:

“It is frustrating to lose on the basic elements of the game, but I don’t think we deserved to lose. We created big chances and we gave them two goals, which is disappointing from us. We don’t normally give those types of goals, especially the corner.

“That is fairly uncommon for us this season, however yeah, if we have been extra medical in each bins we win the sport. We weren’t at our greatest, a bit sluggish within the first half. They needed to sluggish the sport down. It was fairly obvious early on and we purchased into {that a} bit. We usually have extra variation, extra velocity, extra injection.

“Then in the second half we pushed and pushed and it’s one of those where the keeper makes a big, big save in the first half and we’re pushing at the end and Brandon (Thomas-Asante) hits a shot that if he mis-hits it in any way it goes in but he hits it straight down the keeper.

“So there was some circumstances across the recreation that I feel affected it. But it surely’s simply actuality, we misplaced the sport and we’re not used to shedding, so it would not really feel nice.

“That’s a good thing about us. Even when we’re not quite at our best, not quite 100 per cent; third game in a week, the sun’s out and good opposition in this league. And it didn’t quite go for us.”

Southampton’s Tonda Eckert:

“It’s a big result. We had so many questions this week why we weren’t able to beat teams in the top six, and I think that just fuelled us for the game today to make a statement.

“We have accomplished this towards Fulham, to point out that we are able to beat higher groups, and I feel that is been one other assertion as we speak. We knew that the sport as we speak was going to be fully completely different and I feel it is a well-deserved three factors.

“We had an idea of how the game was going to go until minute 60, and then we just needed to have the option to open up after, so it was important for us that we had some impact players that can bring the game in our direction other than having that right from the start.

“It is fairly clear Coventry have a heartbeat of their group that you want to management and the concept was to play with yet another midfielder as we speak. With the end result yesterday (Wrexham’s win at Swansea) it was clear we would have liked to be robust as we speak.

“I told the boys if the game is even at 60 minutes I’ll make changes to win the game, so it’s clear what we are going for today, and I think it’s important to play for three points, we play to win.”