Blackpool 1-4 Coventry City: Sky Blues go nine games unbeaten

Mark Robins' Coventry side are unbeaten since 3 February

Coventry City continued their late push for the Championship play-offs with a thumping win at relegation-threatened Blackpool - their fifth victory in the last eight games.

Defeat stifled Blackpool's brief revival which saw them crush Queen's Park Rangers 6-1 in midweek.

But referee Geoff Eltringham was a central, controversial figure, only showing influential Viktor Gyokeres a yellow card for lashing out at Callum Connolly with the game still goalless.

The official also refused to give Mick McCarthy's team a penalty when Jerry Yates appeared to be clipped by Kyle McFadzean when he went to finish an easy chance.

That came after Yates had equalised Ben Sheaf's opener for the visitors. But Coventry then eased away, taking all three points courtesy of Curtis Nelson's own goal, a clean strike from McFadzean and a fourth from substitute Matty Godden.

The Sky Blues are three points outside the top six with eight games remaining, while Blackpool are four points from safety.

The match was packed with incident as the Seasiders began brightly, buoyed by their six goals on Tuesday.

Morgan Rogers headed over and then teed up CJ Hamilton for a shot which rattled the post.

The home side were hit by an injury to key centre back Jordan Thorniley after 10 minutes, but the Sky Blues were fortunate a few minutes later when 19-goal top scorer Gyokeres lashed out at Connolly, in full view of the referee, yet was only give a caution.

Gyokeres rubbed salt in the wound by playing an astute pass to the edge of the box for Sheaf to drive home the opener, following a sharp break by Gustavo Hamer on the Coventry left.

Blackpool were level when McFadzean crashed into Rogers and Yates made no mistake from the spot. But the hosts were then denied a seemingly more obvious penalty when Hamer clipped the heels of Yates just as he seemed poised to score.

Blackpool's frustration at the two big calls by the referee was exacerbated in first-half added time when Hamer's corner was missed by goalkeeper Chris Maxwell and the ball deflected in at the far post off Nelson.

The game was over as a contest five minutes into the second half when Hamer's free kick was only half-cleared by Rogers and McFadzean produced a striker's finish to fire the ball back past Maxwell.

Coventry completed a great day out at the seaside for the travelling Coventry fans when Hamer battled to win the ball and then released Godden for a neatly-taken fourth.

Blackpool manager Mick McCarthy told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"It looks awful at the end of it and I'm disappointed at how we gave the ball away for the first goal, but I'm not sure Gyokeres should have been on the pitch having punched Callum Connolly.

"I've just seen the referee, who said he didn't punch him. He gave him a right, then a left and a follow-through with his foot as well.

"Then we got back at it with a deserved penalty and in my view should have had another one. He said it wasn't a penalty, as well. He said he kicked the floor, but he kicked the floor because he [Hamer] kicked Jerry's leg, as well as the push as he's gone to swing.

"I might as well be arguing with that step over there. It's opinions, and ultimately it's the ref's opinion that counts."

Coventry City manager Mark Robins told BBC CWR:

"It was a great start for us. We moved the ball really well. They had a brilliant result in the week and we were good value for the lead.

"Really they should have had a second penalty. There's no doubt it was a push in the back, and I've seen those given all day long and then it becomes difficult. They didn't give it. We got away with that one.

"Then just before half-time we got a really good delivery from Gus and had the lead again.

"We spoke at half-time about not being too open. Both teams went to win and it became a bit of a basketball game, about who was able to create the chances and take them. Thankfully that was us."