COVENTRY City boss Mark Robins heaped praise on his players for their late comeback against Cherries, but admitted: "The sending off was a pivotal decision."

Cherries looked set to return to the top of the Championship table, leading 2-0 thanks to goals from Jaidon Anthony and Dominic Solanke.

However, the hosts were then reduced to 10 men after Jefferson Lerma brought down Matty Godden as he looked to burst through on goal.

Godden pulled a goal back in the 85th minute, before defender Todd Kane snatched a dramatic late equaliser, deep into stoppage time.

Discussing the 2-2 draw, Robins said: "I think the sending off was a measure of how we got back into the game.

"Because I think with 11 men it would’ve been difficult. In the end we’ve got what we probably deserved out of the game.

"We know they (Cherries) don’t defend crosses brilliantly. They’ve conceded some goals from crosses but also longer balls.

"The other night I watched the game against Millwall.

"But they’re a really good team, they’re a top team and to get back into the game, regardless of the circumstances, to keep doing it to the 95th minute was credit to them (his players), they were outstanding."

He added: "I thought it was a good game, but they (Cherries) are brilliant.

"You’ve got to be really careful. We worked so hard tactically and technically, but really to try and block them off, because they move so quickly.

"They move the ball really quickly, so they can open you up.

"But I think we handled that pretty well. They’ve changed their shape, thrown different problems at us, but they’ve still got the same pace, power and technical ability and knowhow and they can hurt you, there’s no doubt."

Cherries lined up in a 3-4-2-1 formation for the first time this season, having previously always started with a back four.

"They changed their shape really, because they were a back five," explained Robins.

"They’ve not really done that too often this season, they’ve been really a back four most of the time.

"In game they may change, but they’ve rested Leif Davis and moved things around and Jaidon Anthony has come in, who is obviously right-footed off that left-hand side and that ended up being a plus for them, because he stepped inside Todd’s line and bent that one in in the first half.

"But generally we’ve been able to cope well against a really good team. But there’s no doubt about it, the sending off was a pivotal decision."