Thorn to stay on as Coventry boss despite relegation

Andy Thorn has been asked to stay on as Coventry manager next season despite his team's relegation to League One being confirmed by Saturday afternoon's 2-0 home defeat against Doncaster.

Andy Thorn

The Sky Blues went into the game relying on results elsewhere to survive but, in the end, their loss against Rovers - thanks to late goals from James Hayter and Simon Gillett - meant their fate was sealed at the Ricoh Arena.

Thorn said: "I am bitterly disappointed. I feel for the players because it has been really tough. We have stuck in there and kept having a go."

He added: "I am gutted because we put a hell of a lot of effort in and, regardless of not having players, we have had chances towards the back end of the season to climb out of it.

"Our home form has been brilliant up until the last two games and it's just been too much for us.

"The club has asked me if I will stay and I have asked for assurance that they will give me some help with some good players coming in.

"We'll just take it from there. I've spoken to them and said that it needs to be restructured and sometimes out of this you can come back stronger, but the player side needs addressing massively and they have assured me they will."

Doncaster had the better of the opening period but chances were few and far between at either end.

In the second period, Coventry began to force the issue in the latter stages as Cody McDonald struck the post and Gary McSheffrey volleyed over.

But Rovers grabbed the lead with 10 minutes to go when Richard Keogh upended Hayter in the box and was sent off. Hayter dispatched the spot-kick and, with the Coventry crowd stunned, Gillett added a second in the dying moments to seal the points for Doncaster, who were already relegated to the third tier.