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Oscar Bobb's late strike secures Fulham win at Coventry

ByAdam Millington
BBC Sport journalist

Oscar Bobb's late goal made it back-to-back Premier League wins for Fulham as they claimed victory at Coventry City.

In a game which otherwise lacked quality, Bobb weaved past a defender in a crowded penalty area before whipping an excellent strike into the bottom corner to score the game's only goal.

In the first half, it was Fulham's Josh King who came closest to delivering an opener when he sent an effort crashing off the crossbar. The rebound then fell to Alex Iwobi but he was unable to convert from close range.

For Coventry, the bulk of their most threatening moments came when Brandon Thomas-Asante led counter-attacks, but they were unable to find an end product.

Fulham had claims for a penalty rejected shortly before the break as Calvin Bassey was judged to have tugged his opponent's shirt before being dragged down by Thomas-Asante in the box.

Coventry were dealt a blow when defender Bobby Thomas, a shining light this season in a backline which has come up against difficult tests, was forced off with an injury in the 60th minute.

They continued to absorb pressure and search for chances on the break, but were unable find a way to open the scoring despite making some dangerous, quick moves.

A first away league win in nine matches moves Fulham up to 12th in the table on eight points, two above Coventry. The Sky Blues are 19th.

Coventry analysis: Familiar problems for toothless Sky Blues

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Coventry have to stay 'resilient' - Lampard

It is early in the season, but Saturday's defeat and Coventry's next match against bottom club Sunderland could likely prove to be a barometer for how strong Frank Lampard's side are.

They endured a tough start to life back in the top flight but picked up back-to-back victories before being beaten 3-1 by Tottenham on Monday in a match where the scoreline was arguably harsh.

Coventry's issues this season clearly lie in front of goal, with four of their six so far having come in their win against Newcastle. They only generated 0.5 expected goals (xG) against Fulham.

On Saturday, they once again failed to score in the first half - something they have done in seven of their eight league games this term.

While their counter-attacking style produced some moments of promise, the lack of a clinical edge left them unable to make it count and vulnerable to being punished.

In particular, they had a sustained period of chances in the second half where they subjected Fulham to continuous waves of attacks but none produced anything of note.

Defeat leaves them just one place off the bottom of the table.

Fulham analysis: Another win but improvement needed

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Arbeloa post-match interview - Coventry vs Fulham

Fulham's start to life under manager Alvaro Arbeloa, who took charge in the summer, has been of mixed quality.

Their 1-0 triumph over Hull last weekend finally delivered a victory after collecting just two points from their first six league games - although they had also managed draws in potentially tricky games against Manchester United and Liverpool.

The hope for Fulham fans will have been that picking up a win marked a turning point for their season. Saturday's victory was far from convincing but points towards their fortunes improving.

Up against another promoted side on Saturday, their style of play was similar to usual, with a keen focus on keeping possession.

But it rarely translated to good opportunities in the final third - and they struggled to pose a threat when it came to finishing off attacking moves.

It eventually took perseverance and a moment of good skill from Bobb to seize victory.

While the possession statistics made for good reading for Fulham as they held 64% of the ball to Coventry's 36%, they would have hoped to have posed more of a threat as they only managed to chalk up 0.55 xG.

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