Coventry leave it late to see off battling Barnsley

Dominic Hyam’s injury-time goal broke Barnsley hearts as Coventry secured a 1-0 Championship win.

The defender took advantage of a poor clearance to net his second Sky Bet Championship goal of the season and lift Coventry back into the top 10, three points behind sixth-placed Sheffield United.

A valiant Barnsley, without a win on the road all season, battled hard in search of their ifth draw away from Oakwell but remain rooted to the foot of the table, nine points from safety, after Hyam’s last-grasp strike.

Mark Robins made three changes to his Coventry side from their 2-0 defeat at Cardiff in midweek, reverting to two up front as Martyn Waghorn returned to the starting line-up, while on-loan Chelsea duo Jake Clarke-Salter and Ian Maatsen were also reinstated.

Barnsley’s XI sported two changes from their 1-0 win over QPR in the form of Romal Palmer and Callum Brittain, who had been out since the Tykes’ 5-4 win over Barrow in the FA Cup in early January.

The Sky Blues made the early running and looked threatening down the left as top-scorer Viktor Gyokeres twisted and turned his way into the box before scuffing his effort into the hands of Brad Collins.

The Barnsley goalkeeper, who turned 25 on Friday, had to be alert again inside the first five minutes when Callum O’Hare’s sublime pass with the outside of his foot set Gyokeres free to force another save from him.

Waghorn was next to go close for Robins’ side when he met Gyokeres’ cross only to stab wide of the left-hand post.

Barnsley, who beat Coventry 1-0 back in August, weathered the storm and earned a half-chance themselves, but Michal Helik headed wide from a well-delivered corner.

O’Hare took aim at Collins’ goal again five minutes before the break and the former