Todd Kane makes big Matty Godden claim after Coventry City’s AFC Bournemouth draw | OneFootball

Coventry City full-back Todd Kane has hailed teammate Matt Godden as one of the great finishers he has ever seen, speaking to the club’s media team after their 2-2 draw with AFC Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

It looked as though it was going to be a long afternoon for the Sky Blues just after the hour mark when Philip Billing met a cross to put the Cherries 2-0 up, but Jefferson Lerma’s sending off for taking down an alert Godden changed the complexion of the tie.

It was the 30-year-old who found himself in the right place at the right time yet again to give Mark Robins’ men hope in the 85th minute, firing home after Liam Kelly had his initial shot saved by Mark Travers.

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This gave the fourth-place side the platform to go on and nick a last-minute equaliser, with Kane’s cross-turned-shot looping over Travers finding its way into the back of the net in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

The forward’s consolation brought his league goal tally for the season to seven, beating last term’s total of six in ten fewer appearances as he looks set to get into double figures this term, providing he can stay fit.

Injuries have proven to be a real source of frustration for Godden during his time at the Coventry Building Society Arena so far, but has adapted to the second tier seamlessly and teammate Kane was full of praise for him after the final whistle on the south coast.

The ex-Queens Park Rangers man said: “He’s absolutely flying, the way he trains, he’s one of the best finishers I’ve seen.

“I didn’t really know about him before I came here, but the first day I watched him train and the way he finishes is outstanding, the way he’s playing, he fully deserves it.

“All of his finishes and his goals, since I’ve been here, he practices them in training every day, it’s all about working hard and look at what he’s doing, he’s flying.”

The Verdict:

Godden has established himself as an outstanding Championship player, and though he may not be on the up at 30, he has risen admirably from League Two to return to the second tier after taking the step down from the Championship after his time at Scunthorpe United.

If the Sky Blues can keep him in top condition, there’s no reason why he can’t fire Robins’ men to an unexpected but deserved top-six finish, a motivating target to aim towards with the forward yet to make his first Premier League appearance.

Throughout the years, the 30-year-old has also shown he can create chances for others, recording as many as seven assists for Stevenage during the 2016/17 campaign and registering two in 13 league appearances this season, a real asset that the likes of Callum O’Hare and Viktor Gyokeres can thrive from.

His track record over the years also shows he benefits from having a run of games under his belt. He had scored in four consecutive games before the Covid-19 pandemic halted football action – but will be hoping nothing can stop him at this stage with five goals in his last seven matches.

All eyes were on Gyokeres at the start of the season amid his explosive goalscoring form, but Godden also deserves a slice of credit for the West Midlands side’s current position and for completely changing the game at the weekend.

This point could be vital for the rest of the campaign.