Ten Man Coventry City made to accept point in draw with Accrington Stanley

Ten-man Coventry City were made to share the spoils in a 0-0 draw against a dogged Accrington Stanley at St Andrews.

Chances were limited throughout the game, with only three strikes hitting the target, but the hosts will have accepted a point after Max Diamou was shown a straight red card midway through the second half.

The two sides shared blows in the opening stages of this Sky Bet League One encounter.

Slow reactions by visiting ‘keeper Dimitar Evtimov almost allowed the hosts to capitalise, but he hastily cleared the ball away when under pressure from Biamou.

Biamou came millimetres away from connecting with a teasing Amadou Bakayogo cross which Liam Kelly then recycled with a stinging effort against Evtimov’s palms.

Joe Pritchard found space to work a first shot on-target for the visitors after nine minutes, but Marko Marosi was only forced into a comfortable save to his left.

With the half appearing to tinker to a subdued end, the most controversial moment of the half came with eleven minutes left.

The hosts had loud penalty appeals waved away by referee Ollie Yates despite it being seemingly obvious that Sam McCallum had been felled in the box.

Stanley striker Colby Bishop failed to convert Jerome Opoku’s whipped cross into the box, he somehow headed over the bar from three yards. The hosts then threatened when Callum O’Hare found space inside the box, but Ajibola Alese was quickly down to the floor to block.

Biamou came close early in the second half with a stinging effort which Evtimov pushed away for a corner.

However, the hosts best chance of the game came when Biamou’s long cross met Bakayogo in space but, after cutting the ball onto his right-foot, he shanked a shot over the crossbar.

The Sky Blues would have felt hard done by after their first-half penalty claims were waved away; however, the home support had little to protest when Biamou was given his marching orders on 68 minutes for a high challenge on Mark Hughes.

Coventry had another loud appeal for a penalty against Jerome Opoku get waved away, and that was eventually it as referee Ollie Yates blew his whistle to bring an end to a rather lacklustre 0-0 draw.

Coventry City: Marosi, Watson (Walsh 73), Rose, McFadzean, Kelly (C), Biamou, Hyam, O’Hare, Bakayogo, Westbrooke (Shipley 62), McCallum.

Unused subs: Wilson, Mason, Kastaneer, Drysdale, Eccles.

Accrington Stanley: Evtimov, Johnson, Hughes, Clark, Finley, Pritchard (Zanzala 62), McConville, Bishop, Conneely, Alese, Opoku.

Unused subs: Bursik, Edwards, Rodgers, Charles, Martin, Diallo.

Attendance: 5,455 (218 away)

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