Coventry City player ratings as Sky Blues put the beleaguered Owls to the sword with 5

Two goals from Brandon Thomas-Asante and another from Haji Wright gave Coventry City a comfortable 3-0 lead in a first half that was delayed for five minutes due to a mini pitch invasion by protesting Sheffield Wednesday fans at Hillsborough.

Further strikes from Ellis Simms and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto finished the job after the break for the Sky Blues who should really have scored more as they put the Owls to the sword with a 5-0 thrashing.

Thomas-Asante opened the scoring from a third minute corner and then the game was brought to a temporary halt on ten minutes when two or three Owls fans spilled onto the pitch while the majority held up black and gold scarves and chanted that they wanted their owner Dejphon Chansiri to get out of their club. More fans followed onto the field of play and the players were called over to the far dugout for their safety while stewards rounded up the supporters and led them back to the stands.

The game then resumed with Thomas-Asante increasing the visitors’ lead just after the half hour mark when he dribbled across the face of goal past two players until he found space to thump a shot into the bottom corner of the goal.

The striker then had a hand in City’s third, scored in the sixth minute of first half added time, when he flicked on a Matt Grimes’ free-kick to centre-half Thomas who nodded down at the far post to Wright who touched it over the line to make it 3-0 at the break.

Substitute Simms extended the lead further in the 68th minute when he tapped home from close range to convert a brilliant ball in behind from Kaine Kesler-Hayden. And then Tatsuhiro Sakamoto added more misery to the home side 15 minutes from time when he rifled home a loose ball from an attempted clearance from a Coventry free-kick, making it 5-0 to Frank Lampard’s rampant Sky Blues who have now scored 27 goals in nine Championship games.

STARTING FORMATION: 4-2-3-1

CARL RUSHWORTH: 6.5/7

Came out and caught a high ball from a corner showing his commanding presence under pressure but didn’t have a save to make. Steady throughout.

MILAN VAN EWIJK: 6.5/7

Took a disciplined approach to the game in the first half, making sure he defended first before venturing forward.

BOBBY THOMAS: 7.5

Got on the end of the 3rd minute corner to nod down for Thomas-Asante to score and defended really well. Had a hand in the third goal when he again nodded down at the far post for Haji, this time from a Grimes’ free-kick.

LIAM KITCHING: 7

Solid and commanding at the back where he helped keep things tight and make a brilliant tackle to win possession in the middle of the park to spark a great chance for Wright.

JAY DASILVA: 7.5

Read the game really well and defended smartly, getting a foot in to dispossess players and made excellent use of the ball. Continued his impressive form.

MATT GRIMES: 7.5

Sent in the delivery to the back post for the early goal and did his usual outstanding job of winning balls, mopping up and spreading the play. Sent in the free-kick for City’s third before the break.

JAMIE ALLEN: 6.5

Worked tirelessly in the middle of the park alongside Grimes in place of Torp, slotting in seamlessly to the midfield battleground and playing some nice first time passes.

TATSUHIRO SAKAMOTO: 6.5/7

A decent outlet on the right, albeit quiet by his usual standards in the first half, but worked hard off the ball. Popped up with the fifth goal when he slammed home a loose ball from a clearance.

BRANDON THOMAS-ASANTE: 8.5/9

Got the final touch to score from City’s early corner and doubled the lead in the 33rd minute when he pulled wide of three players and thumped home into the bottom corner. Set up Wright with a square pass for a really good chance.

EPHRON MASON-CLARK: 7

Looked back to his best on his first game back for three games, proving a real threat down the left where he took on his markers with confidence and cause all sorts of problems.

HAJI WRIGHT: 7

Went clean through in the 20th minute but placed his shot wide with just the keeper to beat. Should have scored to make it 2-0. Had another gilt edged opportunity just before the break when Thomas-Asante squared the all to him in the box, only to hit it too close to the keeper who was able to make the save, but made no mistake deep in stoppage time when he got a touch over the line for City’s third.

SUBSTITUTES:

LUKE WOOLFENDEN (53 mins, for Kitching): 6.5

Slotted in seamlessly to the back four as Lampard took the opportunity to give the defender some game time.

ELLIS SIMMS (53 mins, for Mason-Clark): 7

Worked hard, made his presence felt and was rewarded with a tap-in from a well-timed run to get on the end of Kesler-Hayden’s cross after a blistering run.

KAINE KESLER-HAYDEN (63 mins, for Van Ewijk): 6.5

Showed impressive pace to get down the right and set up Simms for City’s fourth.

JAKE BIDWELL (63 mins, for Dasilva): 6

Slotted in nicely at left-back to help see out the game.

KAI ANDREWS (74 mins, for Wright):

Subs (not used): Ben Wilson (GK), Oscar Varney (GK), Victor Torp, Miguel Angel Brau.

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (3-5-2): Ethan Horvath; Dominic Iorfa (George Brown, 66 mins), Ernie Weaver, Max Lowe; Liam Palmer, Yan Valery, Barry Bannan, Svante Ingelsson, Harry Amass; Bailey Cadamarteri (Charlie McNeill, 66 mins), Jamal Lowe.

Subs (not used): Logan Stretch (GK), Sean Fusire, Ike Ugbo, Gabriel Otegbayo, Joe Emery, Yisa Alao, Jarvis Thornton.

GOALS:

OWLS:

SKY BLUES: Thomas-Asante (3, 33), Wright (45+6), Simms (68), Sakamoto (75).

REFEREE: Adam Herczeg

ATTENDANCE: 22,224.

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