BREAKING NEWS: Coventry head coach Big Ron received a suspension after match.
Steven Schumacher insisted the only difference between Coventry City and his Stoke side was “just one moment” – an error from Ki-Jana Hoever – that resulted in the match winning goal.
The Potters’ defender had the ball nicked away from him after determined pressing work from Haji Wright, with it being poked to Callum O’Hare who hit a crisp, first time pass to play Ellis Simms through on goal with just the goalkeeper to beat.
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The striker slotted home clinically, beating Jack Bonham at his near post to record his second goal in as many games, and sixth of the season.
“I thought it was quite a close game, quite tight and not a lot between the two teams and yet it was just an error that’s decided it, and that’s disappointing from our point of view,” said the Stoke manager in his post-match assessment, following Coventry ’s 1-0 win at the Bet365 Stadium.
“But I can’ fault the players’ effort and I thought the ones who started gave everything and competed to try to keep a really good Coventry team relatively quiet. And then I think the subs that went on for the last half an hour gave us a good energy and tempo, but just one moment has decided it.”
He added: “It’s important that we don’t lose our belief. It’s not the end of the world. No-one wants to lose a game of football and I’m no going to come in here and accept that we have lost another game at home – far from it – but if the players give 100 percent, which they definitely did in this game, then we come back in on Monday morning with our heads up and go again.
“We have had three points from the last three games, which isn’t good enough, but it’s form that replicates a team that’s at the bottom end of the table and we have to get on with it and get into the next game and see if we can win that one.”
Schumacher feels his side, which included former City centre-back Michael Rose, limited the Sky Blues to just one other chance in the game – three in one, actually, as Wright, Simms and O’Hare each had an attempt in the same sequence following a good cross to the far post from Fabio Tavares.
“We played some nice football and were patient with our play,” he said. “Some of the fans can get a bit frustrated with that but it’s important that we do that because if we get that side of the game right then the pitch opens up for our attacking players. We did play some nice football in the final third and I think Coventry defended them really well. We had a couple of set pieces where we had three first contacts and every header (including one from Rose) went over the bar, so on another day one of those headers might have gone in.
“We were relatively solid for 50-odd minutes until their goal. Coventry had one chance when the ball bounced around but we had a couple of chances at their end as well, so there wasn’t a lot in the game and getting the balance right is the key for any team to be successful.”
