Coventry 3 Middlesbrough 1: Two sent off for Boro as Sky Blues soar to victory
An inspirational performance from debutant Alex Nimely helped basement club Coventry to a 3-1 victory over nine-man Middlesbrough who suffered their third successive league defeat.
The on-loan Nimely, who spent the first half of the season with Middlesbrough, set up Gary McSheffrey for the game's opening goal and added a second early in the second half after Kevin Thomson had been sent off.
Middlesbrough captain Matthew Bates then scored at the wrong end after a clever cross from Coventry substitute David Bell.
Gone: Kevin Thomson was sent off in the first half
MATCH FACTS
Coventry: Murphy, Keogh, Hreidarsson, Cranie, Christie, Clingan, Deegan (Bell 46), Thomas, McSheffrey, Nimely, Platt (Eastwood 79)
Subs not used: Dunn, Wood, Baker
Goals: McSheffrey 36, Nimely 57, Bates og 64
Bookings: Deegan, Hreidarsson
Middlesbrough: Coyne, Hoyte (McMahon 70), Bennett (McManus 69), Bates, Williams (Smallwood), Thomson, Robson, Arca, Haroun, McDonald, Emnes
Subs not used: Ripley, Martin
Goals: McDonald 66
Bookings: Thomson, Williams, Robson
Red cards: Thomson, Arca
Scott McDonald pulled one back for the visitors who made three quick substitutions to try and turn the game in their favour.
But the hosts held on with Boro winger Julio Arca seeing red in the closing stages for a two-footed lunge on Sammy Clingan.
Middlesbrough's new signing Lukas
Jutkiewicz was denied the chance to face his former employers due to an
agreement between the two clubs.
But fellow striker McDonald was presented with two glorious opportunities inside the opening nine minutes.
He latched onto a mistake from Sammy
Clingan only to volley straight at Joe Murphy before the Sky Blues
stopper produced a magnificent save to deny the same player moments
later.
Murphy continued to impress as
another flowing Middlesbrough move culminated in a Joe Bennett drive
which was tipped over by the Republic of Ireland international.
The dynamics of the game then shifted
significantly when the hosts broke the deadlock in the 36th minute as
Nimely fed McSheffrey to slot home from inside the area.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men
moments later when Thomson, who had been harshly booked just 11 minutes
earlier for bringing down Cyrus Christie, was shown a second yellow
card.
The midfielder could have no
complaints over his second caution as he flew in with his studs showing
to bring down goalscorer McSheffrey.
The game threatened to boil over in
the aftermath of Thomson's dismissal and that prompted Coventry boss
Andy Thorn to substitute Gary Deegan, on a yellow card, for Bell at
half-time.
Nimely, making his first appearance
since joining on loan from Manchester City, failed to score during his
time with Boro but he headed home 57 minutes into his Coventry career.
Boro felt the ball had not crossed
the line as a defender hooked it clear but the assistant referee was
perfectly placed to award the goal.
Nimely was involved in the third goal
seven minutes later as he released Bell out wide and his first time
cross was touched in by Bates with Clive Platt in close pursuit.
Boro responded instantly when Marvin
Emnes' driven cross was nodded in by McDonald and Mowbray attempted to
rally his troops with a triple change.
But Coventry used their extra man
advantage to close out the game as Middlesbrough's dismal afternoon was
completed in stoppage time when Arca earned their second red card.