Red-hot Jerry Yates heads Blackpool to victory

Jerry Yates scored his seventh goal in five games as Blackpool came from behind to beat Coventry 2-1 at the CBS Arena.

Kasey Palmer’s first Coventry goal had put the hosts a goal ahead before half-time but Gary Madine equalised after missing three fantastic first-half opportunities.

Yates then headed Blackpool in front with 10 minutes to go to secure the Tangerines’ first away win in five.

The match was played with uncertainty once again rife around the Sky Blues’ tenancy at the CBS Arena, as the club admitted earlier in the week they were exploring options of playing Tuesday’s home game against Blackburn at an alternative venue due to rugby club Wasps and the company who own the lease to the CBS Arena going into administration.

Coventry were down to the bare bones due to illness and injuries as Mark Robins was forced into four changes from Tuesday’s draw with Rotherham.

The injured Martyn Waghorn and Fankaty Dabo were replaced by Callum O’Hare and Todd Kane, while Viktor Gyokeres and Michael Rose were left on the bench in favour of Palmer and Jonathan Panzo.

Blackpool’s starting line-up showed one change from the 4-2 home win over Preston as Sonny Carey replaced Liam Bridcutt.

The Tangerines could have been out of sight within the first 20 minutes as Madine was left rueing missed chances.

Carey fired a cross that the striker steered wide from inside the six-yard box before the same combination led to Madine finding himself one-on-one with Ben Wilson, only for the Sky Blues’ stopper to divert his effort wide.

The 32-year-old came into the game with just one goal to his name this season and could have found the net for a third time when he met a delightful ball to the back post but lifted his shot over the crossbar.

Blackpool were left frustrated once again when Carey cut inside Callum Doyle and drilled his effort off the inside of the near post.

With no recognised striker in their line-up Coventry had struggled to make any inroads in the opening half an hour but Palmer began to link up well with O’Hare, who was making his first start of the season.

It was the Sky Blues’ turn to miss a golden opportunity when Palmer diverted O’Hare’s square ball over the crossbar, but the midfielder made no mistake five minutes before the break.

O’Hare’s clever flick picked out Palmer, who knocked the ball through the legs of Jordan Thorniley before holding the defender off and slotting calmly into the bottom corner.

Shortly after the break Blackpool, and Madine, finally had their goal.

The hosts lost possession inside their own half before James Husband’s whipped cross was glanced into the corner by a fantastic Madine header and Blackpool had their deserved equaliser.

Coventry pressed to get their noses back in front as Kane and O’Hare fizzed efforts wide of the right-hand post, but it was Yates who was to maintain his prolific goalscoring form and complete the comeback.

It was Husband again who crossed from the left and Yates headed back across goal past Wilson to secure the points.