Town manager Joe Royle has revealed that a half-time rollocking inspired his players to their outstanding second half comeback at Highfield Road.

Royle says he is not usually one to turn the air blue during the break: "We brought on Martijn Reuser and he did make a difference but it wasn't just the substitution of a player there was a substitution of attitudes.

"I stripped the walls in the dressing room at half-time. I don't usually get angry with my players but I thought it was necessary and they responded.

"Martijn did very well for us and I know he won't like me saying this but he is being a great substitute for us this season.

"We really took the game to them in the second half and I thought our front two looked like they would score every time they got the ball.

"With four games to go people will be asking whether we can still make the play-offs and we believe we can.

"We cannot afford to worry about what other teams are doing, we must concentrate on winning our four remaining games and if we do that we will stand a great chance."

Coventry player-manager Gary McAllister had looked deeply affected by his side's second half collapse during the game, making a number of somewhat desperate appeals for infringements against Town. After the match he couldn't believe the difference between the two periods: "You just cannot compare the two halves because they were so far apart.

"We did have a lot of young players out there but there was also a great deal of experience especially at the back and we did not respond in the right way to losing a goal so early in the second half.

"The things we said at half time must have gone in one ear and out the other because we asked for concentration and we just didn't get it."

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