Coventry City 2-1 Sunderland: Allen and Gyokeres score as Sky Blues beat ex-boss Tony Mowbray

Jamie Allen's second goal in successive Saturdays was capped by a late Viktor Gyokeres clincher

Coventry City scored a goal in each half as they made it three straight wins by beating former boss Tony Mowbray's Sunderland.

The Sky Blues carved open the visitors to take the lead on 25 minutes when Viktor Gyokeres set up Jamie Allen for the opener.

Top scorer Gyokeres then struck himself in the 89th minute for his 16th goal of the season when he turned in Matt Godden's low right-wing cross from close range.

On-loan Manchester United youngster Amad Diallo caused a few very late wobbles when he pulled a goal back with a 94th-minute curler.

But Mark Robins' City saw it out to edge to within a point of their Championship play-off rivals.

As a test of form, both sides went into the match following meetings with Rotherham, who lost 2-0 at home to Coventry last Saturday, then won 2-1 at home to Sunderland in midweek.

And, for an unchanged City side, that form guide ultimately proved correct, although not without a few anxious moments along the way.

Sunderland have not won an away game against Coventry since April 1985

Sunderland have not won an away game against Coventry in 11 attempts since April 1985, the last three of them at the Arena.

Having made three changes from their midweek defeat, Sunderland made a vibrant start, forcing home keeper Ben Wilson to save from Trai Hume before Danny Batth's looping header brushed the bar.

But Gyokeres went close when he pounced on a loose pass to gallop clear round Batth, only to blast his right-foot shot over, but the Swedish striker's involvement was a foretaste of what was to come.

On-loan Burnley defender Luke McNally threaded a pass through the inside-right channel, Gyokeres took it on and timed his square pass superbly for Allen running in to almost effortlessly side-foot home a sweet strike for his seventh goal of the season.

Sunderland remained a threat throughout, had the lion's share of possession, created more chances and won more corners.

But, despite the early second-half loss of Kasey Palmer with a hamstring injury, it was Coventry who had the sting in the tail when Gyokeres netted for the third game running, finishing off a sweeping move.

Diallo had the last word when he curled home beautifully, but the hosts held on for a further three minutes of added time to inflict Sunderland's second straight defeat.

Who's next?

Coventry now face successive away games, a rearranged visit to Preston on Tuesday night followed by next Saturday's trip to Huddersfield, when Sunderland will be at home to former manager Alex Neil's Stoke City.

Coventry City boss Mark Robins told BBC CWR:

"They're one of the better sides we've had here so this was particularly pleasing, We dealt with their threat and took our opportunities.

"It was important to take the lead, the crowd was lively and drove us on - and helped us get that second goal.

"Both goals were fantastic. The move for the second was outstanding and no more than Viktor deserved for his work rate after all the effort he put in."

"He is not finished there, that's for sure. He is going to be hungry for more goals between now and the end of the season. You can't do it on your own. He's part of a team working hard to create chances for him. But sometimes he can turn a game and do something out of nothing."

Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray:

"There were lots of positives for us but you've got to put the ball in the opposition net.

"Negatives were that we probably weren't positive enough around the opposition box.

"We came up against a team who play transitional football, and they've got one of the best strikers in the league.

"You can feel his threat on the transition but there's no pressure on us. We're happy enough that the team perform at the level."