Reserves Beaten Again

Referee Amy Rayner
Bookings Roper,Sonko.Simpson

ATT 130
Man Of The Match - Ashley Cain took the votes ahead of Liam Robinson and David Burtoft.
_____________________
STARTING FORMATION
Steve Ogrizovic changed the team which had lost at Stoke. In came the fit again Arjan De Zeeuw,Wayne Andrews and Andy Gooding,

Liam Francis was in the starting eleven but picked up a neck injury and was replaced by Callum Burgess.

                          Simpson Andrews

                    Davis Gooding Burtoft Cain

               Burgess De Zeeuw Turner Robinson

                                Ireland

____________________
WEATHER
A sunny pleasant evening in treacle town. As the sun went down it went very cold.
---------------------
City Support
Around one hundred and thirty in the ground
including scouts from Celtic,Forest and Stafford Rangers plus a few agents. Iain Dowie,Tim Flowers, Frankie Bunn and John Harbin all attended as did Saddlers first team boss Richard Money
__________________
Coventry City Reserves went down to their second consecutive defeat of the new Pontins League season with a 1-2 loss to Walsall Reserves.

Walsall included Nuneaton born Ian Roper in their side and were ahead after ten and a half minutes thanks to a howler from Danny Ireland in the City goal.

The Australian whose year long contract at the club sums up the Sky Blues financial plight, failed to hold what looked a relatively tame shot and carelessly let the ball spill to Troy Deeney who gratefully accepted the gift of smashing the ball into the net.

Being a goal down meant that Steve Ogrizovic's side had to work harder to get on level terms. David Burtoft and Andy Gooding worked hard in midfield whilst Liam Davis on the left flank displayed a few nice touches. One of these from the Londoner set up a daisy cutter of a shot from the edge of the area which skimmed just past the post in the 16th minute.

In the 28th minute, the Sky Blues were level. Some good work by Robbie Simpson who had a quiet night up front, saw the former Student cross for Wayne Andrews to turn inside the area and fire low into the bottom corner from thirteen yards.

City were unlucky not to have added to their tally two minutes later when an inch perfect through ball from Davis fell for Robbie Simpson who did everything right as Walsall keeper Tom Cox made the save of the night in blocking the ball.

Youngster Ashley Cain who had a good night on the right wing, headed into the side netting when he arrived at the far post to meet a long Davis cross.

On the stroke of half-time, Cox flapped at a Gooding cross but a defender was back on the line to clear.

Although most of us needed some warming half-time refreshment as the temperature started to drop, Steve Ogrizovic's side didn't

They seemed unable to get forward as often in a second half which saw Roper and Edrissa Sonko go into the book of referee Amy Rayner who was being watched by Loughborough based referee Peter Jones.

City did push forward in the 57th minute but the Saddlers easily cleared their lines and broke through Alex Nicholls who calmly stroked the ball past the badly placed Ireland before treating the crowd to a few somersaults of celebration.

Arjan De Zeeuw looked a little rusty after missing the pre-season through injury. In the 76th minute, he allowed Deeney to get round the back of him. Thankfully this time,Deeney could only find the side netting with his effort.

Arjan De Zeeuw

As the game came to a finish, the tackles got sloppy. Robbie Simpson was cautioned for a foul on Sansara whilst in the final minute,Liam Robinson who had another solid game got a bang in the mouth and had to be replaced seconds before the end of a very disappointing night for the Sky Blues who next face Shrewsbury on September 10th.