COVENTRY City’s season ended in the most heartbreaking fashion after the Sky Blues conceded with the final touch of their play-off semi-final second leg against Sunderland to miss out on a trip to Wembley.
Daniel Ballard’s header two minutes into injury time at the end of extra time brought an end to Coventry’s season after Ephron Mason-Clark’s second-half goal forced an extra 30 minutes at the Stadium of Light.
Ballard’s late goal meant the game finished 1-1 on the night as Coventry suffered an agonising 3-2 aggregate defeat.
The first quarter-hour passed by with little in the way of goalmouth action although Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor received a yellow card for simulation.
Moments later, the Sky Blues had the game’s first shot on target as the returning Mason-Clark cut in from the left and fired a powerful effort straight at Anthony Patterson.
Sunderland responded with a chance of their own as Eliezer Mayenda burst into the penalty area and forced Ben Wilson made a vital save low down to his right.
City had another chance just before the half-hour mark when Sunderland cleared a corner to the edge of the penalty area and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto drove a shot wide of the post.
And the Sky Blues remained on top as Sakamoto delivered a ball to the back post which Mason-Clark headed back across goal only for Jack Rudoni to poke the ball over the crossbar in a collision with Patterson.
Coventry picked up where they left off after the break as a Sakamoto saw his effort from a corner blocked before Milan van Ewijk blasted the follow-up well wide from distance.
Sunderland went close just past the hour mark as Wilson superbly tipped Trai Hume’s volley behind for a corner diving low down his right.
However, Coventry broke the deadlock on 76 minutes when Mason-Clark steered van Ewijk’s cross from the right into the bottom right corner from eight-yards out.
And the Sky Blues almost won the tie at the death only for Haji Wright to head Sakamoto’s dangerous ball from the right wide of the target from close range as the game went to extra man.
Chances were at a premium in the first period of extra time the best of which saw Liam Kitching lash a shot over the bar after the ball dropped kindly to the defender in the box.
Early in the second period, the ball rolled into the path of Romain Mundle in the box who saw his goalbound effort superbly cleared to safety by substitute Josh Eccles.
However, the Sky Blues lost the game with virtually the final touch as Ballard headed in unmarked at a corner via the aid of the crossbar to break Coventry hearts.
