Team
Marshall,Birchall (McNamee 76), Borrowdale (Davis 57), M.Hughes
(Hildreth 68),Ward,Hall,Thornton (Cairo 68),Doyle,Kyle (Simpson
63),Mifsud (Adebola 57),Gray (Simmonds 70)
Subs
Konstantopoulos,Best,Hawkins, S.Hughes
BALLYMENA
Murphy (O'Neill 81),Wray,McClean,Callaghan,Watson,Kelly (Haveron
81),Melaugh (Picking 68),Watson Patrick 70),Fitzgerald (Brown
57),Kelbie,Lowry
Att 800
Ref A.Black
Goals Mifsud (13).Doyle (45),Gray (49,54),Adebola (61),Simpson (85)
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GROUND
The Ballymena Showgrounds is ringed by an active Stock Car track. There
is no terracing but two stands. Only the one stand was used to house all
the supporters.
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WEATHER
Cloudy,windy some sun and some rain.
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STARTING TEAM FORMATION
Marshall
Birchall Ward Hall Borrowdale
Thornton Hughes Doyle Gray
Mifsud Kyle
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CITY SUPPORT
This was an excellent turn-out of City supporters,all the pre-season
regulars were in attendance. It was a turn-out that had a Northern
Ireland Railways trains guard apologising for the train being very full
after sixty Cov took over the 10.38 from Belfast.
Some played in a game against Blackburn supporters club winning 9-5 with
Paul Seddon scoring five. The rest set up camp in various drinking
establishments including the supporters club at the ground.
I would estimate around 300 City supporters. Around two hundred
travelled with a good following for supporters based in the Province and
The Irish Republic.
The Ballymena support was friendly and sociable.
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Coventry City gave a lesson in finishing in this battle of the Sky Blues
by winning 6-0 at Ballymena United.
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FIRST HALF
Against a side managed by Tommy Wright,a former room mate of Iain
Dowie's during the pair's international time,Iain Dowie changed the side
from that which had won at Glentoran on Tuesday and with Borrowdale
replcing Giddings in the warm up,debutant Michael Hughes and local boy
was soon in action having a shot blocked in the second minute from a
Thornton corner.
Coventry took the lead in the thirteenth minute when a Kyle through ball
found Michael Mifsud who rounded the keeper and tapped into the empty
net.
Again ,Kevin Kyle looked sharper than last season winning a couple of
corners,nodding a tame effort at Paul Murphy and a 31st minute diving
header.
Ballymena offered very little in the opening period but in the 39th
minute,Marshall blocked as Darren Fitzgerald advanced.
On the stroke of half-time,City doubled their lead when Julian Gray's
cross from the left was headed home by Michael Doyle.
HT BUFC 0-2 CCFC
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SECOND HALF
The goal continued in the second half.
A third goal for City came four minutes after the restart. Mifsud played
a one two with Julian Gray who made no mistake when he got the ball back
finishing from six yards.
Gray added his second in the 54th minute when he drove home with a
right footed shot from 13 yards.
We saw the "Old Five" in the 61st minute when substitute Dele Adebola
was left unmarked in the penalty area to ram the ball home.
The rest of the game was a stroll before Robbie Simpson lobbed a
deflected effort off Callaghan over the substitute keeper for the sixth
goal to cap a good afternoon's work and a good pre-season tour.
FT BUFC 0-6 CCFC
Man Of The Match - Julian Gray
SUPPORTERS VIEW
On the train back to Belfast, we caught up with Steve from Banbridge."We dominated the game throughout and always look comfortable," he said. "We probably should have created more chances,considering the amount of ball we had. I particularly liked the look of Julian Gray and was impressed by Dele Adebola when he came on."