Sky Blues record huge derby win over Baggies | OneFootball

Coventry City midfielders Jack Rudoni and Matt Grimes found the net as the Sky Blues strengthened their grip on a Championship play-off position, while dealing a major blow to West Bromwich Albion’s promotion hopes.

The loss means Albion are still searching for their first away victory since Tony Mowbray returned as head coach in January.

They now sit six points off a play-off spot with just three fixtures remaining, having managed only five wins in 17 games under Mowbray’s leadership.

After conceding a second goal in the 48th minute, courtesy of Grimes pouncing on a defensive lapse, Albion then faced an uphill battle as Callum Styles was dismissed, leaving them with ten men for most of the second half.

West Brom were trailing after just six minutes, with Coventry’s top scorer Haji Wright turning provider. The U.S. international broke free down the left and delivered a deflected low ball into the area, which found Rudoni. The midfielder made no mistake, drilling a low left-footed finish inside the near post for his seventh goal of the campaign.

Coventry nearly doubled their lead in the 37th minute. Rudoni appeared to escape punishment for a foul following Ben Sheaf’s set-piece, allowing Liam Kitching to direct a header goalward, but Albion keeper John Griffiths reacted well to push it over the bar.

Griffiths was called into action again moments later, when Milan van Ewijk sent in a swerving cross from the left. The ball dipped awkwardly, glancing off the bar before being cleared.

However, the second half quickly unraveled for the visitors. Mowbray made a double substitution at the interval, introducing John Swift and Grady Diangana in place of Isaac Price and loanee Will Lankshear.

But the change backfired almost immediately. Just three minutes after coming on, Swift lost control while attempting a back pass and didn’t notice Grimes closing in. The Coventry midfielder seized the moment and rifled a powerful left-footed shot past Griffiths into the far corner - his second goal in as many outings.

Albion’s problems deepened when Styles received a second yellow card for a foul on Tatsuhiro Sakamoto near the sideline, although the decision may have been somewhat strict as both players tussled for position.

West Brom had created little of note up to that point, aside from an early attempt when Lankshear narrowly missed connecting with Mikey Johnston’s curling cross.

Late in the match, Swift had a chance to redeem himself but fired well over, and former Coventry loanee Adam Armstrong saw a stoppage-time goal chalked off for offside.