Viktor Gyokeres’ last-gasp leveller earns Coventry a point against Blackburn

Viktor Gyokeres’ equaliser in the ninth minute of stoppage time cancelled out Bradley Dack’s first goal in over a year as Coventry drew 2-2 with Blackburn at the CBS Arena.

Dack had scored his first Rovers goal since returning from injury as Tony Mowbray’s side took a 2-1 lead after being 1-0 down through Harry Pickering’s own goal.

Scott Wharton put the visitors in front in the 82nd minute but Gyokeres’ back-post header snatched a point for the Sky Blues at the death.

Both teams made three changes as Pickering, Ryan Nyambe and Joe Rankin-Costello replaced Darragh Lenihan, Reda Khadra and Tyrhys Dolan for Blackburn.

Mark Robins, who had missed Coventry’s previous two home games with Covid, recalled Michael Rose, Ian Maatsen and Gyokeres in place of Ben Sheaf, Jake Clarke-Salter and Jordan Shipley.

The Sky Blues were incensed after just seven minutes when Jan Paul Van Hecke crossed paths with Matty Godden as the striker honed in on goal before going down, but referee Peter Bankes judged there to be no contact, much to the disgust of Godden and the Sky Blues bench.

Coventry would claim justice was served within 60 seconds.

Godden set Callum O’Hare free and the midfielder’s mazy run was met by Pickering, but the defender’s intervention led to the ball agonisingly rolling past goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski and into the corner of the Blackburn net.

Gustavo Hamer twice came close to doubling Coventry’s lead, first when his curling long-range effort beat the sprawling Kaminski but came back off the outside of a post.

Less than five minutes later Hamer’s free-kick stung the palms of the Belgian stopper as Robins’ men went in search of a second.

Blackburn, who managed just one shot on target in the opening 45 minutes, brought on