Barnsley left with ‘worst feeling’ after late misery at Coventry City

Barnsley boss Poya Asbaghi described losing in added time as “the worst feeling in football”.
Coventry City's Ben Sheaf (left) celebrates scoring his side's late winning goal against Barnsley. Picture: Bradley Collyer/PACoventry City's Ben Sheaf (left) celebrates scoring his side's late winning goal against Barnsley. Picture: Bradley Collyer/PA
Coventry City's Ben Sheaf (left) celebrates scoring his side's late winning goal against Barnsley. Picture: Bradley Collyer/PA

Dom Hyam grabbed a last-gasp winner for Coventry City, the defender being in the right place at the right time after Ben Sheaf’s hopeful ball into the area saw him calmly finish to snatch a 1-0 win.

Coventry peppered Brad Collins’s goal all afternoon to no avail before Hyam’s second goal in as many games earned Coventry just their third win in 10 home league games.

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It was a frustrating end to the afternoon for Asbaghi, but he was satisfied with his side’s overall performance after they almost nicked a point – despite not having a shot on target all game.

Coventry City's Callum O'Hare (right) attempts a shot on goal  against Barnsley. Picture: Bradley Collyer/PACoventry City's Callum O'Hare (right) attempts a shot on goal  against Barnsley. Picture: Bradley Collyer/PA
Coventry City's Callum O'Hare (right) attempts a shot on goal against Barnsley. Picture: Bradley Collyer/PA

“It is the worst feeling in football when you lose in injury time and it is a tough one to take,” said Asbaghi.

“The first half was even, but in the second half Coventry pushed us down for longer times. We defended very well and did not concede too many chances against a good team at home.

“Getting a point from here with a good defensive performance, I would take it any day of the week.

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“Unfortunately we could not keep them out until the end. We made a mistake while they didn’t.”

The defeat leaves Barnsley rooted to the foot of the Championship table, nine points from safety with just 15 games to go, without an away win all season and with just three league wins in total.

Asbaghi said: “If you win the next game people will say, ‘Barnsley are in it’. If you lose the next game, We are ‘playing League One’.

“We deserved a point. You can’t expect a team like us to come here for 90 minutes and create chances all the time.

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“But in terms of the defending and the effort we put into keeping a clean sheet, I was happy.

“It is about keeping the concentration and not conceding a goal, which eventually happened.

“We have a game three days from now and the message is to keep defending like that, but we have to create more chances.”

Coventry boss Mark Robins was delighted to snatch the three points he felt his side deserved.

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“The goal from Dominic was a really good finish – you could see the outpouring of relief more than anything else,” said Robins.

Coventry City: Moore, Hyam, McFadzean, Clarke-Salter, Kane (Dabo 90), Sheaf, Allen, Maatsen, O’Hare, Gyokeres, Waghorn (Tavares 85). Unused substitutes: Rose, Wilson, Shipley, Bidwell, Dinanga.

Barnsley: Collins, Williams, Helik, Andersen, Brittain (Moon 82), Palmer (Josh Benson 71), Gomes, Vita (Cole 77), Styles, Morris, Quina. Unused substitutes: Walton, Hondermarck, Halme, Wolfe.

Referee: Josh Smith (Lincolnshire).

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