Coventry City player ratings from CoventryLive as Sky Blues reporter Andy Turner hands out the scores from Loftus Road
17:09, 31 Jan 2026Updated 18:18, 31 Jan 2026
Queens Park Rangers’ Nicolas Madsen (centre) scores his side’s second goal against Coventry City
Coventry City gave up a goal lead to lose 2-1 as their away day blues continued at Queens Park Rangers.
The league leaders got their noses in front through Josh Eccles early in the second half but goals from Richard Kone and Nicolas Madsen turned the game in the home side’s favour.
Carl Rushworth kept City in the game with a brilliant finger tip save onto the bar to deny the troublesome Kone a first half goal as the striker looked to have headed over the back-pedalling keeper.
That was the closest the game came to a goal in a scrappy opening 45 minutes when the Sky Blues had the better of the possession but failed to hit the target once from six soft attempts on goal.
Both sides also lost a player before the break following a challenge between Kader Dembele and Ephron Mason-Clark, both having to go off injured and be replaced.
Josh Eccles then popped up at the far post to get on the end of a Jack Rudoni cross to give City the early second half lead with a neatly directed header across goalkeeper Joe Walsh, with 53 minutes on the clock.
The lead, however, lasted just 13 minutes as Richard Kone got Rangers back on level terms with a smart near post finish amid poor defending from the visitors.
City then gave up possession and were over-run down the left where Harvey Vale had a low cross pushed away by Rushworth, only to fall into the path of the unmarked Madsen who thumped home into an unguarded net.
With Middlesbrough winning, City are now level on 58 points, ahead only on goal difference.
STARTING FORMATION: 4-2-3-1
CARL RUSHWORTH: 6
Commanded his area well, punching clear an early corner and catching high balls into the area but put too much on his long kicks at times. Made a brilliant finger tip save to push Kone’s header onto the bar. Beaten by a clever finish from Kone for the equaliser. Parried a low cross out but Madsen slammed home the loose ball.
Carl Rushworth of Coventry City in action
MILAN VAN EWIJK: 5
Got forward well on the overlap but Isaac Hayden proved to be a handful in the first half. Part of the collective unable to stop Rangers’ attack down the left for the second goal.
BOBBY THOMAS: 4.5
Got a foot in early with a safety first approach to defending and headed away well in his box but struggled to contain Kone at times, including not getting tight enough at the near post for the equaliser.
LIAM KITCHING: 5
Also had difficulty containing Kone as QPR tested Rushworth early on. Defended corners reasonably well but not a great day for the defence as a whole.
JAY DASILVA: 4
Like Mason-Clark, took time to get into the rhythm of the game and make an impact on the overlap. Let Bennie get the better of him on more than one occasion and caught out of position for the equalising goal.
MATT GRIMES: 5.5/6
Took set-piece responsibilities and won plenty of second balls in a scrappy first half. Kept City ticking over and worked hard throughout on a frustrating afternoon. His late stray pass summed up the day.
JOSH ECCLES: 6.5
Worked hard in a scrappy midfield battle but struggled to make an impact in a dreadful game in the first half, devoid of quality from the Sky Blues. Popped up with a really cool header at the back post to give City the lead early in the second half, directing it past the keeper.
Josh Eccles of Coventry City celebrates their goal, 0-1
TATSUHIRO SAKAMOTO: 5.5
Lively from the first whistle on a day when he was restored to the starting line-up ahead of Esse. Gave away possession too easily in the build-up to Rangers’ second goal.
JACK RUDONI: 5.5
Headed narrowly over the bar from City’s first chance of the game as he returned to the side after sitting out the Norwich game with an injury. Provided a lovely cross to the back post for Eccles to head City into the lead.
EPHRON MASON-CLARK: 4
Picked up an early knock as he took time to get into the game. Went down in the 35th minute, unable to continue with the earlier foot injury.
ELLIS SIMMS: 5
Led the line well on his return to the starting line-up, holding it up and working hard with some strong running, albeit not getting a sniff of goal in the first half. Got into some good positions but nothing quite fell for him. Decent shift, though.
Queens Park Rangers’ Nicolas Madsen (left) and Coventry City’s Jack Rudoni battle for the ball
SUBSTITUTES:
ROMAIN ESSE (35 mins, for the injured Mason-Clark): 4.5
Deployed on the left but struggled to make an impact.
HAJI WRIGHT (71 mins, for Simms):
MIN-HYEOK YANG (79 mins, for Sakamoto):
Subs (not used): Ben Wilson (GK), Luke Woolfenden, Jake Bidwell, Joel Latibeaudiere, Jamie Allen, Victor Torp.
QPR (4-2-3-1): Joe Walsh; Jimmy Dunne, Ronnie Edwards, Steve Cook, Rhys Norrington-Davies; Nicolas Madsen, Isaac Hayden; Kadar Dembele (24 mins, for Daniel Bennie), Harvey Vale, Paul Smyth; Richard Kone.
Sub (not used): Ben Hamer (GK), Kealey Adamson, Sam Field, Koki Saito, Kieran Morgan, Rayan Kolli, Esquerdinha, Tylon Smith.
GOALS:
QPR: Kone (66), Madsen (73)
SKY BLUES: Eccles (53)
REFEREE: Josh Smith
NEXT UP: Oxford United (h) Saturday, February 7 (3pm).
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