COVENTRY CITY U23’s 1-0 IPSWICH TOWN U23’s
City U23's: Corey Addai, Jak Hickman , Declan Drysdale, Jordan Thompson (Morgan Williams 18),Sam McCallum, Josh Eccles, Charlie Wakefield, Zain Westbrooke, David Bremang, Jordan Shipley, Dexter Walters (Lewis Green 87),. Subs: Tom Bilson,, Chris Camwell, Billy Stedman.
Ipswich; Wright, Spence, Webber, McGavin, Cotter, Ndaba, McKendry (Foudil 36), Nydam, Kai Brown (Zak Brown 82) Dawkins, El Mizouni, Subs: Egan, Marshall, Clements.
_______________________________________________
Coventry City kept up their push for a play-off place with a 1-0 victory over top of the table Ipswich Town.
Victory at Cardiff City, their fourth in five matches in 2019, had Jason Farndon’s side go third in the table and Farndon, assisted by Andy Crabtree were able to name most of the players who played in that win, for this game played at the Ricoh Arena.
The school holidays meant a bumper attendance and on a wet Monday afternoon, they saw the Sky Blues, attack minded despite the surface at the Ricoh Arena not being to the quality of the pitches at the Higgs Centre.
Jordan Shipley ran the midfield with Zain Westbrooke doing plenty of running with both players having chances in the opening eight minutes with Westbrooke’s shot from a mistake in the visiting defence having to be blocked by a defender a couple of yards off the line.
Charlie Wakefield looked good on the right for City and had a 13th minute shot pushed over for a corner after City keeper and captain Corey Addai had saved from Conor McKendry.
City’s defence was solid with Declan Drysdale cool and collected but in the 17th minute, fellow defender Jordan Thompson pulled up injured and had to be replaced by the highly capable Morgan Williams.
Wakefield had shot saved by combination of keeper and defender and Jak Hickman’s free kick was headed by a defender on to his own post before Westbrooke drove wide from twelve yards in the 31st minute.
In the 34th minute, Coventry City made their pressure count when they took the lead with a cracking move. Charlie Wakefield picked out Jak Hickman, who delivered a sublime cross into the mix for the incoming David Bremang to smash into the net.
Ipswich lost McKendry to injury but Lounes Foudil who replaced him was lively and involved with a free kick that Tristian Nydam curled wide and a 45th minute corner which had to be hacked off the line.
The willingness to attack seemed to disappear from a City side which is settled and it was the visitors, who had a handful of supporters watching on, who created the better chances in the second half.
Corey Addai used his height to one handedly push an effort over the bar for a corner that captain Corey Ndaba headed wide from, two minutes in and after a City corner, Ipswich had three chances which all failed to trouble Addai.
Wakefield who worked well in partnership with Hickman, won a 61st minute corner which was met by Morgan William, who sent his effort to the right of Harry Wright’s goal.
Ipswich created two more chances with Addai having to a deal with a 72nd minute Simon Dawkins shot and Jordan Spence firing wide six minutes later.
City had their goalscorer David Bremang pick up a knock which needed treatment and had Dexter Walters, who also worked hard for the City cause, limp off with cramp before Drysdale headed over from an 89th minute corner.
With the pace having dropped and neither side showing any real urgency, there was plenty of stoppage time.
However, the Sky Blues did their job and stayed tight to record their fifth victory in six games this year and keep their push for a play-off place going.
Pictures copyright of CNS Sport.