Bell Stars As City U21's Win

COVENTRY CITY U21 3-1 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY U21

Team: Coventry City: Dunn, Clarke, Phillips (Lobjoit 52), Thomas, Cameron, Willis, Bell, Barton Ball, Wilson, Philliskirk (Jeffers 78). Subs; Lobjoit, Garner, Rankin, Roberts. .

Sheffield Wednesday: Davies, White, Fenwick, Hinchcliffe, McKenzie, Peacock, Kyle (Obileye 46), Grant,(sent off 61)  O'Grady (Deseruvwe 67), Maguire, Hery. Subs;Wildsmith,

HT CCFC 2-0 SWFC FT CCFC 3-1 SWFC

Goals David Bell 40, Adam Barton 45, Bastien Hery 85, Callum Wilson 86

Coventry City U21’s started 2013 with a 3-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday in a Professional Development League Division 2 fixture.

At a windy and cold Nuneaton Town FC, Lee Carsley and Ian Foster included Danny Philliskirk who is on trial on Sheffield United after impressing in his appearances against City U21’s earlier this season.

With more scouts including former City defender and Wednesday boss Dave Jones, than spectators watching on, the Owls had the first shot of the game after one hundred seconds through Chris McGuire.

City with Conor Thomas, David Bell and Danny Philliskirk able to get balls into Callum Wilson, started to create chances and soon started to have the better of the play with Wilson firing at Owls keeper Adam Davies from a Jordan Clarke cross and then a cracking ball from Bell going forward to Wilson before the assistant on the main stand side raised his flag.

Then a lovely ball from Thomas to Wilson across the goal who passes to Philliskirk's who in turn crossed toward the diving Wilson, who just fails to connect with the ball.

In the 21^st minute, Chris Dunn spilt a McGuire shot but Jordan Willis who had a solid game at the back alongside Nathan Cameron, was on hand to clear the danger.

Back came City with Philliskirk  picking out Bell who went inches wide from 25 yards. The winger then did well and cut inside before firing wide again.

We had just passed the half hour mark, when the Sky Blues had the ball in the net. A good piece of finishing from Danny Philliskirk saw the ball end up there but the flag had long been up and the goal was ruled out for offside.

In between Callum Ball missing the target after good approach work from Clarke and Bell, Wednesday had two good chances of their own with a 35^th minute good run and shot from Chris O'Grady going inches wide of Dunn's right hand post and four minutes later, Jarrod Kyle turns hit a 25 yarder which was well saved by Dunn.

On a bitterly cold afternoon with the sleet having stopped, the game needed a goal and it came in the 40^th minute when an Adam Barton shot was beaten away by Davies but the ball falls to David Bell who hit a shot from 16 yards which went in off a deflection.

That was the goal City needed and seconds before half-time, there was a second one for the few City supporters to enjoy. Adam Barton got the ball in a central position and thumped a left footed shot into the bottom corner of the net from twenty yards.

Mark Robins, Steve Taylor, Steve Ogrizovic and Darren Robinson joined those in the ground for the second half which saw the Owls making a change at the break with Obileye on for Kyle.

Seven minutes into the second half, Arron Phillips who like the rest of the back four worked hard, picked up a knock and was replaced by Leon Lobjoit.

In the 54^th minute, referee Andrew Fox awarded City a penalty when Callum Wilson was pulled down. Danny Philliskirk took the kick but Davies went down to his right and saved and blocked as Wilson followed up.

City were playing some good stuff but in the 61^st minute, it all went off when Harry Grant virtually rugby tackled Jordan Clarke. Apart from the keepers, all the players dived in to the melee. Mr Fox stood his ground and sent off Grant and showed four yellow cards in an incident where he could have carded a few more players.

A minute later, a foul by McGuire who was cautioned, looked like it might get nasty but the players calmed down and the game continued with a corner for the Sky Blues,  Wilson cutting in and having a shot blocked, Barton curling over the bar and  Davies getting down well to save a Lobjoit shot.

Both sides made changes with Philliskirk, who had certainly impressed the City supporters, making way for Shaun Jeffers in the 78^th minute.

Jeffers got stuck in straight away, helping to clear a corner and winning a throw but in the 85^th minute, the Owls pulled one back when Bastien Hery was allowed room twenty yards out to beat Chris Dunn with a low drive.

City went straight up the other end. David Bell played sent a neat cross right into the mixer for Callum Wilson to tap in from a yard out and restore the Sky Blues two goal advantage.

The ten man Owls managed another corner late on but City, with every player putting in a good performance were deserved 3-1 winners.