Swansea fall to narrow defeat at Championship leaders Coventry

Leaders Coventry stretched their lead at the top of the Sky Bet Championship to eight points following a hard-fought 1-0 win over Swansea.

Ephron Mason-Clark’s emphatic finish just before half-time was enough to give the Sky Blues a ninth home Championship win of the season.

But the usually free-scoring Sky Blues were made to work hard for the points and were perhaps somewhat fortunate to have found themselves in front at half-time.

The resolute visitors had done a fine job in keeping the hosts quiet but were undone a minute before the break by Mason-Clark’s opener.

It failed to spark Coventry into life with the hosts fading once again after a good spell of pressure early in the second half.

It was the visitors who enjoyed the best of the second-half chances and could well have snatched a point with better finishing after both Liam Cullen and Melker Widell wasted good chances to equalise.

It leaves City – who are unbeaten at home this season – with a commanding 13-point cushion on the chasing pack as they look to bring Premier League football to Coventry for the first time in 25 seasons.

Eom Ji-sung had a shot comfortably saved by Carl Rushworth as the visitors started on the front foot.

Liam Kitching made an excellent goal-saving block to deny Zan Vipotnik after nine minutes.

Marko Stamenic went into the book for a late foul on Jack Rudoni a minute later.

Rushworth blocked a dangerous Eom cross on minutes as the visitors continued to look comfortable.

Ellis Simms saw a header brilliantly saved by Lawrence Vigouroux from Tatsuhiro Sakamoto’s 38th-minute cross.

Mason-Clark then saw his follow-up effort blocked before Matt Grimes smashed wide.

Ronald failed to make the most of a good chance for the visitors after firing hight and wide when there were better options available.

But Mason-Clark put the Sky Blues ahead with an emphatic finish a minute before the break after Milan van Ewijk’s long throw was flicked on.

Vigouroux got down well to save a well-hit shot from Victor Torp in the opening minutes of the second half.

Coventry kept up the pressure on the Swans after winning a succession of quick corners.

The lively Mason-Clark had a shot blocked on the hour before Vigouroux saved Sakamoto’s follow-up just after the hour.

Widell saw a shot blocked during a rare break by the Swans following Zeidane Inoussa’s cross.

Cullen wasted a great chance for the visitors after failing to find the target while in plenty of space in the 71st minute.

Widell could only pick out the keeper when a brilliant pass by Malick Yalcouye cut open the Coventry defence.