Coventry City 1-2 Burnley: Clarets bounce back from controversial opener to temporarily move top

The Clarets went a goal down in controversial circumstances after just six minutes when Haji Wright’s close-range strike was allowed to stand, despite the striker clearly being in an offside position.

Scott Parker’s side didn’t let the injustice affect them, taking just 10 minutes to level when Jaidon Anthony slotted home an equaliser.

The visitors were then gifted the lead at the very start of the second-half as Anthony completed his brace, before a nervy 40 minutes ensued.

Burnley came under plenty of pressure from their play-off chasing hosts, but they dug deep and showed plenty of character to extend their unbeaten run to 27 league games.

With Leeds United being held to a draw at Luton Town, Burnley go top of the table for now before Sheffield United play Oxford United at 3pm.

Parker opted to make one key change to his Burnley side as he replaced Zian Flemming with Lyle Foster, despite the former’s winner against Bristol City last week.

Elsewhere, Aaron Ramsey and Mike Tresor are not involved despite stepping up their respective recoveries on Friday, playing 75 minutes each for the Under-21s.

Nathan Redmond took the place of Manuel Benson on the bench, while Jordan Beyer, Bashir Humphreys, Jonjo Shelvey and Enock Agyei all remain sidelined.

As for Coventry, Frank Lampard made four changes to the side that were beaten 3-1 by Sheffield United last week.

One of those changes came in goal, as Brad Collins replaced Oliver Dovin after the stopper suffered an ACL injury last week.

The Clarets took just 40 seconds to test Collins, as Jaidon Anthony powered a low effort towards goal from just outside the area, but the backup keeper was equal to it.

But six minutes in, controversy ensued as the hosts took the lead with their first attack of the game.

Haji Wright was the man to bundle home from close range after the Clarets had been undone down their left. While James Trafford made a superb initial save, the ball rebounded for Wright to steer home from virtually on the goalline.

Burnley’s players were insistent Wright was offside and replays proved they were correct, with Wright well beyond the last man before he stuck the chance away.

The visitors could easily have felt a sense of injustice, but instead they opted to take the more rational approach: knuckle down and get on with things.

Only 10 minutes had passed by the time they had levelled when Jaidon Anthony calmly slotted into the back of an empty net after Josh Cullen and Lyle Foster had almost combined at the near post.

The visitors regained control of the game from this point onwards, although clear-cut opportunities were still difficult to come by.

Coventry briefly threatened from a long throw that was hurled into the six-yard box, but CJ Egan-Riley nodded away the danger before a player could get a shot off at goal.

Wright could easily have grabbed a second for the home side when he stretched at the back post to reach Jay Dasilva’s teasing cross, but the forward couldn’t quite stretch far enough.

Burnley responded with a good chance of their own as Anthony came close to a second, stretching desperately to reach Josh Brownhill’s clever through ball.

The half ended with Burnley trying their luck with two volleys. The first coming via Josh Laurent, who looped an effort a yard or two over the crossbar from the edge of the box, before Egan-Riley failed to hit the target with a rising shot from Edwards’ clever near-post free-kick.

Barely a minute had passed in the second-half when Burnley completed the comeback to lead, thanks to a defensive mishap from the hosts.

Neither the keeper Collins or centre-back took control of the situation, allowing Anthony to nip in and slot home into the back of the empty net for his second of the game.

Despite holding the lead for the first time in the game, Burnley still didn’t appear particularly settled, with too many simple passes going astray.

The game became a little scrappy and stretched at this point, with neither side able to exert much control over proceedings.

Foster looked to add a third for Burnley just after the hour mark when he tried his luck from a tight angle, only to see his effort saved by the keeper’s midriff.

Coventry piled on the pressure late on, dominating possession. But while it was a little last-ditch at times, they didn’t appear too troubled in terms of giving up clear-cut chances.

Nevertheless, Burnley would have given anything for a third goal to kill the game for once and for all.

They almost grabbed it 10 minutes from time when Laurent’s curling effort was well tipped over following some quick interplay between Foster and substitute Hannibal.

Burnley had chances to add a third in stoppage-time, Jeremy Sarmiento making a mess of an opportunity to run in behind before Zian Flemming’s low shot was well held.

Coventry had one last chance to snatch an equaliser at the death when they sent up the keeper for a last-gasp free-kick, but it came to nothing - allowing Burnley’s players, staff and fans celebrate a big, big win in the fight for promotion.

TEAMS

Coventry: Collins, van Ewijk, Thomas, Kitching, Dasilva, Grimes, Allen (Torp), Rudoni, Sakamoto (Simms), Mason-Clark, Wright

Subs not used: Wilson, Binks, Paterson, Sheaf, Raphael, Bidwell, Latibeaudiere

Burnley: Trafford, Roberts, Egan-Riley, Esteve, Pires, Cullen, Laurent, Brownhill (Hannibal), Edwards (Flemming), Anthony, Foster (Sarmiento)

Subs not used: Hladky, Worrall, Sonne, Koleosho, Redmond, Barnes

Referee: James Bell

Attendance: 28,704