Coventry’s last-gasp win boosts playoff charge to sink Robins and Stoke | Championship

Bobby Thomas scored a last-gasp winner to give Coventry a thrilling 3-2 win against Stoke at the CBS Arena. Victor Torp had scored a first-half double to put the Sky Blues ahead before substitute Sam Gallagher netted two of his own to haul Stoke level. But Thomas sent the home fans into raptures in the seventh minute of added time when he thumped home to earn his side a ninth win in 10 league outings.

The fixture was also the return of Stoke’s manager Mark Robins after he was sacked by the Sky Blues in November. Robins’s seven-year reign featured two promotions, a Championship playoff final defeat to Luton on penalties and FA Cup semi-final heartbreak against Manchester United last season.

The opening goal game after 22 minutes when Milan van Ewijk’s long throw was headed in by the incoming Torp. Tatsuhiro Sakamoto made Coventry’s second nine minutes after the opener, nutmegging Enda Stevens before laying off to Torp. The Danish midfielder’s arrival into the box allowed him to take a touch before slotting beyond Viktor Johansson.

Josh Eccles almost put the Sky Blues out of sight before the break when his curling effort came back off a post. There was still time for controversy before the whistle when Coventry were denied a penalty. Sakamoto’s delightful pass over the top picked out Ephron Mason-Clark, who poked the ball beyond Johansson before being brought down by the flying Swede. However, referee David Webb pointed for a goal-kick as the ball bounced narrowly wide.

Robins introduced Gallagher at the break alongside Million Manhoef, whose cross was nodded narrowly wide by Ali Al-Hamadi. The Potters halved the deficit when Wouter Burger drove into the box, evaded Liam Kitching’s overzealous challenge and squared for Gallagher to tap into an empty net. It was the former Southampton striker’s first goal since a 6-1 victory over Portsmouth back in October.

Another in-swinging Manhoef cross created the leveller, the Dutchman’s free-kick picking out Gallagher to nod home a second and stun the 30,011 crowd. Burger then almost stole all three points for Stoke when his clever backheel narrowly cleared the crossbar.

But Coventry had the final say when Thomas latched on to Stevens’ would-be clearance, steadied himself and thumped his left-footed effort into the corner in the seventh minute of additional time.

Josh Coburn completed Millwall’s comeback as Alex Neil’s side came from behind to beat Watford 2-1 at Vicarage Road.

The Lions trailed at half-time after Mattie Pollock had given the home side a 30th-minute lead with his first league goal of the season. But the visitors – who learned on Friday that keeper Liam Roberts must serve an extended six-game ban for his much talked-about foul on Jean-Philippe Mateta – responded well after the break, drawing level through Casper de Norre’s 59th-minute effort before Coburn headed the 81st-minute winner. The victory moved Millwall to within a point of the Hornets who came into the game with hopes of closing the gap to the playoff places.