Coventry City 0-0 Cardiff City: Sky Blues frustrated by gritty Bluebirds
- Published
Coventry City's Ben Sheaf watches his snap-shot come off the Cardiff City post
Coventry City were held at bay by a determined Cardiff City side in a Championship game that rattled along nicely but failed to produce a winner.
It was a fourth draw in a row for the Bluebirds and a second goalless game for the division's lowest scorers.
Coventry had more than twice as many attempts at goal, going closest when Ben Sheaf hit the post.
Kasey Palmer brought the best out of Ryan Allsop in the Cardiff goal, while a Gustavo Hamer chip was also repelled.
Cardiff have now drawn four games in a row, a run that has allowed them to keep just clear of the relegation places - three points and three places above the drop zone.
But, although relatively solid in defence, the Bluebirds have been toothless in attack, holding the unwanted tag of the lowest scoring team in the Championship - just 20 goals in 25 games.
Manager Mark Hudson's search for a cutting edge was blunted further without the injured Callum Robinson and Kion Etete, leaving Mark Harris to lead the line on his 24th birthday.
As it stands there will be no reinforcements come January, with Cardiff operating under a transfer embargo having failed to pay the first instalment of the £15m transfer fee to French club Nantes for the late Emiliano Sala.
Hosts Coventry have just had their own transfer embargo lifted, having calmed fears of being evicted from the Coventry Building Society Arena after signing a new tenancy agreement until the end of the season.
They ended the evening as they began it, two points off the play-off places after Monday's 3-1 defeat at high-flying Sheffield United, in which former Swansea City striker Viktor Gyokeres grabbed his 12th goal of the season but they also lost key midfielder Callum O'Hare to a season-ending ACL injury.
Cardiff had the first sight of goal when Ben Wilson comfortably held Harris' long-range attempt after being played away by Rubin Colwill.
Allsop was far less comfortable at the other end when Hamer spotted the Cardiff goalkeeper off his line, having to backpedal furiously to tip over the bar.
Coventry went close again when Palmer's daisy-cutter and then Jamie Allen's similarly low shot both went just wide of the post.
That was the pattern for much of the first half: Cardiff looking bright when going forward but vulnerable to swift Coventry counters when attacking moves broke down.
Hamer again tested Allsop's reflexes, diving to his right to palm the ball away, while Callum Doyle could perhaps have done better when rising highest at the back post to head a free-kick over the Bluebirds' bar.
Cardiff continued to live dangerously until half-time, relieved to see Sheaf's toe-poke come off the outside of the post after his initial shot was well blocked by Jaden Philogene.
Harris's jinking run promised better things for Cardiff after the restart but could only produce a corner.
Allsop at the other end continued to be the busier keeper and again showed his mettle to deny a sharp Palmer shot, while he was relieved to see a Gyokeres header sail over the bar under pressure from Cedric Kipre.
With the hour mark past, both managers began to turn to their benches to break the deadlock. Todd Kane replaced Fankaty Dabo and Sheaf later made way for Martyn Waghorn for the home side, while for Cardiff Sheyi Ojo and Gavin Whyte came on for Philogene and Colwill.
Jake Bidwell was the next to test Allsop with a downward header the visiting keeper saved at the base of his post, as Coventry continued to squeeze Cardiff.
Kane almost conjured what would have been a deserved late winner but Allsop was again equal to the task, and the visitors survived a flurry of corners in time added on to come away with a hard-won point.
Coventry City boss Mark Robins told BBC CWR:
"It was a clean sheet. There were some good performances. We were the team trying to win it, on a difficult surface.
"It is two days-play, two days-play. It just puts people at risk. We haven't got enough in terms of numbers and people being available to make changes to win matches.
"The lads have done brilliantly, all of them, but they need some help in January, when it comes around. We need to get some bodies in because we are not going to have the injured lads back for a while."
Cardiff City manager Mark Hudson told BBC Radio Wales:
"I'm pleased with a point and to get a clean sheet. If you don't play well, then don't get beat.
"It's a very, very difficult place to come, with an in-form striker, probably the best striker in the league in my opinion. They have a top manager and have got good players who put you under severe pressure but we held firm.
"The defenders have been unbelievable this season; Perry (Ng), Cedric (Kipre) relationship-wise, bodies on the line, defending crosses and the work rate of everyone, the fight when someone gives the ball away, the recovery runs - you can see a team that's fully together."