Match ends, Coventry City 0, Preston North End 2.
CoventryCoventry City0PrestonPreston North End2
Two goals in the space of five second-half minutes gave Preston a valuable victory at Coventry.
Captain Tom Clarke gave Simon Grayson's side the lead in the 62nd minute when he got on the end of a free-kick to side-foot home coolly.
It was 2-0 soon after when Seb Hines fouled Joe Garner in the box and the Preston striker converted the penalty.
It could have been worse for the Sky Blues, with Ryan Haynes twice called upon to make last-ditch blocks.
After successive victories on their homecoming at the start of September, the Sky Blues' third straight defeat was their first since returning to the Ricoh Arena.
Sky Blues manager Steven Pressley told BBC Coventry & Warwickshire:
"Three straight losses is not good enough. That type of performance isn't good enough for Coventry City at home. It's a performance I take responsibility for because I'm the manager.
"We need to show more belief in ourselves, and that's up to me to sort out. Once we lost the goal it sucked the confidence out of us."
"We looked lacking in confidence and didn't play with the fluency I continue to talk about. We have to show unity and turn this corner. We have to turn that into a positive performance very quickly."
Line-ups
Coventry
Formation 3-5-2
- 23Allsop
- 25HinesBooked at 76mins
- 2Willis
- 4WebsterSubstituted forMillerat 74'minutes
- 11O'Brien
- 26HaynesBooked at 61mins
- 10SwansonBooked at 11minsSubstituted forCoulibalyat 64'minutesBooked at 79mins
- 24Clarke
- 7Fleck
- 12JacksonSubstituted forMcQuoidat 64'minutes
- 20Tudgay
Substitutes
- 1Burge
- 3Pugh
- 9McQuoid
- 14Coulibaly
- 15Miller
- 18Phillips
- 27Finch
Preston
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Jones
- 5Clarke
- 16Buchanan
- 4WisemanBooked at 85minsSubstituted forWoodsat 85'minutes
- 6Wright
- 12GallagherSubstituted forRobinsonat 77'minutes
- 8Kilkenny
- 7HumphreySubstituted forReidat 72'minutes
- 30Brownhill
- 31Browne
- 14Garner
Substitutes
- 3Laird
- 15Woods
- 17Reid
- 21Stuckmann
- 22King
- 24Hayhurst
- 27Robinson
- Referee:
- Tim Robinson
- Attendance:
- 10,006
Match Stats
Home TeamCoventryAway TeamPreston
- Possession
- Home51%
- Away49%
- Shots
- Home4
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home0
- Away4
- Corners
- Home1
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away15
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Coventry City 0, Preston North End 2.
Post update
Mohamed Coulibaly (Coventry City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by David Buchanan (Preston North End).
Post update
Attempt saved. Callum Robinson (Preston North End) right footed shot from long range on the left is saved in the centre of the goal.
Post update
Ryan Haynes (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Kyel Reid (Preston North End).
Post update
Josh McQuoid (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Neil Kilkenny (Preston North End).
Post update
Attempt missed. Marcus Tudgay (Coventry City) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box misses to the right following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Coventry City. Conceded by Callum Robinson.
Post update
Mohamed Coulibaly (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by David Buchanan (Preston North End).
Post update
Marcus Tudgay (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Calum Woods (Preston North End).
Substitution
Substitution, Preston North End. Calum Woods replaces Scott Wiseman.
Booking
Scott Wiseman (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by John Fleck.
Post update
Foul by Sebastian Hines (Coventry City).
Post update
Joe Garner (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
