Bristol Rovers 3-1 Coventry City
City: Burge, Sterling (Thompson 46), Willis, Hyam, Brown, Kelly, (Andreu 69), Doyle, Shipley, Thomas, Chaplin, Clarke-Harris (Bakayoko 84). Subs: O’Brien, Davies, Ogogo, Hiwula,
Bristol Rovers Bonham, Lockyer, Craig, O. Clarke, Nicholls,(Payne 57) Lines, J Clarke. Reilly (Jakubiak 73), Bennett, Sinclair (Matthews 81), Kelly. Subs: Smith, Broadbent, Leadbitter, Upson,
Att 8,385 (1,132 City)
Goal: Gavin Reilly 7, Lockyer 19. O. Clarke 23, Hyam 43
Oh I do love watching Coventry City getting beat in the pouring rain.
Over 1100 City supporters arrived in Bristol as parts of the country were hit by remnants of the hurricanes and storms that had battered America.
As luck would not have not it, some of the City support were accommodated on a open terrace, at the Memorial Stadium, why the EFL permit this in this day and age, is beyond me, although, with some of the people they allow to run clubs, just highlights their lack of interest in the good of supporters.
Those supporters stood in the pouring rain and the ones sheltering in the stand behind the goal, saw a City side without Tom Bayliss who was injured by in training on Friday.
City came out fighting and could have been two goals up in the opening minutes forcing Bonham into a couple of cracking saves before Luke Thomas, who according to one of the songs being sung about him is popular off the pitch, drove wide in the fifth minute.
Then before we knew it - The Sky Blues were three goals down to a Bristol Rovers side, who have been struggling to get a win this season
In the seventh minute, Gavin Reilly was allowed to get through and fire past Lee Burge. Twelve minutes later and Lockyer netted and in the 23rd minute, Oliver Clarke fired home from range to see the City support berating the defence.
Dujon Sterling bore the brunt of most of the abuse and was informed on a number of occasions by some of the livid City supporters that he would be better sitting out the rest of the game or returning to West London.
Michael Doyle did his best to try and get City back in the game and with the help of Jordan Shipley and Luke Thomas, the Sky Blues had a goal for their efforts two minutes before the break when Dominic Hyam headed in, following a Doyle free kick.
Mark Robins, who had been told to sort it out by a number of disgruntled City supporters, took Sterling out of the firing line at the break and replaced him with Jordan Thompson.
City were far more settled in the second half, equally matching Rovers.
Thomas had a couple of chances as did Chaplin who again worked hard for very little reward with Junior Brown and Jordan Thompson also trying to get something
Tony Andreu and Amadou Bakayoko, roundly booed by the home fans for choosing City rather than the Gas, came on for Liam Kelly and Jonson Clarke-Harris and it was Andreu who played in Chaplin in the 89th minute who stuck the ball in the net.
For the third game in a row, Chaplin had a goal ruled out. Had it stood, then it was a grandstand finish was on but it didn't and those City supporters still in the ground left to reflect on another poor performance.