Coventry City vs Southend United. Sky Bet League One.
Ricoh ArenaAttendance7,646.
Tuesday 14 March 2017 22:17, UK
Southend moved to within a point of the League One play-offs with a 2-0 win at bottom club Coventry.
Early goals from Nile Ranger and Ryan Leonard handed the visitors a first win in four games.
Shrimpers boss Phil Brown read the riot act to his squad following last weekend's defeat to Bristol Rovers, and they wasted little time in making amends at the Ricoh Arena as Ranger poked the ball past Coventry goalkeeper Lee Burge from six yards with just two minutes on the clock.
Southend doubled their lead in the 23rd minute courtesy of a deflected 30-yard free-kick from Leonard.
Coventry's main attacking threat came down the left from wing-back Ryan Haynes, who hit a shot over the bar in the 25th minute in the home side's first meaningful attack.
It took 49 minutes for the Sky Blues to register their first shot on target through Callum Reilly but it was not enough to trouble Southend goalkeeper Ted Smith.
The result leaves Coventry rooted to the bottom of the table after a fourth defeat in five, while Southend remain in seventh place.
