Coventry City scored late on through Amadou Bakayoko to snatch a draw at home against Doncaster and maintain their unbeaten start to the season, cancelling out Ben Whiteman’s first-half effort for the visitors.

Fresh from a break last weekend, in the absence of any games versus Bury this season, City came into the game looking to build on last fortnight’s last-gasp home win against Wimbledon. Mark Robins named an unchanged side for that win, starting with Marko Marosi (GK); Fankaty Dabo, Kyle McFadzean (C), Dominic Hyam, Brandon Mason; Liam Walsh, Callum O’Hare, Jordan Shipley; Wesley Jobello, Matty Godden, Jordy Hiwula.

Doncaster travelled to St. Andrew’s on the back of their 2-0 home win against Peterborough, Darren Moore opted to start with Seny Dieng (GK); Bradley Halliday, Tom Anderson, Donervorn Daniels, Reece James; Ben Whiteman (C), Ben Sheaf; Kieran Sadlier, James Coppinger, Jon Taylor, Niall Ennis.

The first chance of the game fell to Doncaster almost-immediately. Some lazy play from the back led to Sheaf beating Walsh to the ball in midfield, he played it to Ennis, but the on-loan Wolves man dragged his shot wide of the left post.

It didn’t take long for City to create their first chance, though. Shipley used his awareness and vision to spot the run of Hiwula, who, like Ennis, dragged his shot wide of the post, when he really should’ve scored. Another chance fell the way of Hiwula shortly after; Dabo’s ball in-field was feinted first by Shipley and then by Godden. Hiwula let the ball come across his body but couldn’t get his left-footed shot past Dieng.

Overall, you wouldn’t be wrong for thinking the home side should’ve gone in leading at the break. However, it was, in fact, Donny who would strike first. Halliday’s ball across the area was left by Taylor and struck by Whiteman into the bottom left corner. The visitors went in 1-up at half-time.

The second-half started in the same way the first did, Coppinger dispossessed McFadzean but his cut-back was fired past the post by the on-rushing Donny man.

It wouldn’t continue in the same vein, though. City applied the pressure for the remainder of the game and created half-chance-after-half-chance, forced save-after-save and were denied by block-after-block. O’Hare couldn’t convert his chances, Godden couldn’t get on the end of an absolute peach of a ball into the area, every free-kick and corner found their way into the clutches of Dieng and every penalty appeal was waved away.

There was one final push, mind. Bakayoko came on for Hiwula, with 7 minutes to go and it would be the fans’ favourite who snatched the late equaliser. With 90 minutes on the clock, Mason fed the ball to McFadzean, who laid the ball to Bakayoko. The striker swivelled over the ball and lashed it into the top-right corner, sparking pandemonium in the Kop. City could’ve won it right at the death, too. Baka’s fellow sub’ Kastaneer fed the ball to O’Hare but he couldn’t beat the ‘keeper to it and the full-time whistle was blown.

For City, a deserved point but all three would’ve probably been harsh on the visitors. Life at St. Andrew’s, however, doesn’t seem to be all the doom and gloom it was made out to be. Mark Robins’ men are still unbeaten – making up one of just four clubs to boast that stat in the entire 91 professional clubs – and the fans seem to be buying into the project, with this fixture bringing the season’s highest gate so far, of just over 7000.

For Doncaster, they seem to be functional and dogged. Based on this performance, Darren Moore’s side should be able to finish in the playoffs. The squad is good enough and the club is riding on some good momentum, after last season’s playoff campaign under Grant McCann. Like Coventry, they deserved a point but not all three. As a defensive unit, solid doesn’t really begin to describe them, knowing exactly how to deal with Cov’s threat and shutting down their midfield.  As an attacking unit, they weren’t exactly phenomenal; instead of looking to create, they looked to create high turnovers and catch their opponents at their most vulnerable.

Coventry drop to 4th, whilst Doncaster are in 9th.

words Liam Murphy, Coventry City fan & writer