In-form Southampton ended Coventry’s six-match winning run with a 2-1 victory at the CBS Arena. Flynn Downes pounced on a rebound to open the scoring shortly after half-time before Kuryu Matsuki doubled Southampton’s lead with five minutes remaining.
Victor Torp’s stoppage-time penalty gave the leaders hope but they fell to their second home defeat of the season and Southampton extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 12.
Southampton stunned the home side three minutes into the second half. Matsuki’s cross evaded Cyle Larin and the goalkeeper, Carl Rushworth, and rebounded off a post, where it was met by Downes who could not miss from inside the six-yard box.
Southampton doubled their advantage in fortunate fashion when James Bree’s corner hit the leg of the unmarked Matsuki and rolled past a helpless Rushworth.
Torp stepped up in added time to dispatch a penalty he had won after he was fouled by Shea Charles and the inevitable onslaught followed as Coventry desperately searched for an equaliser.
Middlesbrough’s faltering promotion push suffered another blow as Adam Randell’s 96th-minute header earned Bristol City a 1-1 draw at the Riverside.
Boro thought they were heading for a much-needed victory when the substitute Leo Castledine opened the scoring in the 65th minute. However, after Castledine’s fellow replacement, David Strelec, wasted an excellent chance to double his side’s lead, Randell headed home Tomi Horvat’s corner deep in stoppage time to level the scores. The draw means Boro have now failed to win their past four home games.
Charlie Kelman’s added-time penalty earned Charlton a 1-1 draw at the Kassam Stadium to deny Oxford United a fourth straight league win in their battle to beat the drop. Kelman tucked away the spot-kick in the third minute of added time after the goalkeeper Jamie Cumming fouled Lloyd Jones.
Cameron Brannagan had given Oxford the lead in the 57th minute, also from the spot – the first penalty Oxford have been awarded in nearly two years. Kayne Ramsay brought down Will Lankshear, and Brannagan slotted the penalty just beyond Will Mannion’s dive and into the bottom-left corner.
Three other sides with hopes of automatic promotion are in action in the 3pm kick-offs: Millwall host Blackburn, while Ipswich travel to relegated Sheffield Wednesday and Hull are at struggling West Brom.
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