Philliskirk celebrates daughter’s birth with late leveller

LOOKING FOR AN OPENING . . . lone striker Jake Cassidy tries to carve a chance for himself. Pictures by ALAN HOWARTH

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Coventry 1, Athletic 1

DANNY Philliskirk was the man once again to strike a blow against the club he once represented.

Philliskirk now has three goals in his last three outings against Coventry, seven for the season for Athletic and 24 for the club in total.

A stable life, added to by the arrival of new baby girl Hattie Grace on the eve of this game, has no doubt helped to produce results for a player highly rated by his managers.

This one was a slightly scruffy goal – a near-post header from a Mike Jones corner that goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook could only parry awkwardly into his net.

It had looked like curtains again for Athletic up to then. But the spirited show here against the promotion-chasers deserved more than another hard-luck story.

“I am delighted for Philly as a new dad, which is always good,” said David Dunn afterwards. “But for me personally, I am delighted that he got the equaliser.”

Coventry were desperate to claim three points to keep up the pace at the top of the league. Athletic needed something from the game to stem the flow of four defeats – and, as it turned out, to avoid heading into Christmas bottom of the table.

Dunn had promised to do things his way, which meant fielding Jake Cassidy as a lone striker. He handed Richie Wellens a start as a deep-lying playmaker. Liam Kelly was more advanced and Philliskirk pushed infield, with Carl Winchester on the right of midfield and Mike Jones the left.

Time and again in the first half, Coventry and their 13-goal striker Adam Armstrong found the red wall impenetrable.

Cole was crowded out time and again and even winger Ryan Kent, the Athletic fan on loan from Liverpool, found the going tough against a determined Brian Wilson.

Athletic's main defensive concerns came after losing possession, with Gael Bigirimana and Jim O'Brien probing as Tony Mowbray's men looked to pounce at pace.

Armstrong saw an early attempt blocked by James Wilson and aside from an O'Brien drive that David Cornell saved sharply from, also tipping wide an Aaron Phillips cross-shot, the visitors were comfortable without being remotely threatening themselves.

Kent pulled a shot wide inside the first minute after a run from deep, but it was a rare break against a well-organised Athletic.

Coventry were forced to reshuffle defensively when centre-back Ben Turner went off injured, but the home side regrouped at half-time and took the lead four minutes into the second half when the ball was swung over to the far post, Aaron Martin climbing highest to power home.

Defending in the air left something to be desired, but the visitors gritted their teeth and started to pose a threat from then on. Athletic pushed and probed, right into added time.

More neat build-up play led to Mark Yeates lobbing in a cross for fellow substitute Michael Higdon.

On his last appearance before heading back to Bramall Lane, the on-loan Sheffield United striker saw his header superbly tipped over the top.

That wasn't quite that, though. Up popped that man Philliskirk, new dad and old hand at haunting former sides.