WEST BROMWICH ALBION RESERVES 2-2 COVENTRY CITY RESERVES BY KEV MONKS
Team
Ireland,Borrowdale,Hall,Birchall,Hawkins (Giddings 62),De Zeeuw,Cairo (Davis 66),Hughes,Andrews,Simpson (Hildreth 66),Gray. SNU Collett,Griffiths
West Brom
Danek,Hodgkiss,Saied (Knight 60),Mason,Pike.Labadie (Samuels 65(,Macdonald,Worrall,Slusarski,Morrison,Compton. SNU Holmes,Lake-Gaskin,Nicholls
HT WBAFC 2-1 CCFC FT WBAFC 2-2 CCFC
Goals Jack Compton (30 pen,36), Ellery Cairo (45+1), Liam Davis (75)
Ref D.Coote
Booked Compton (70)
Att 81
Man Of The Match Julian Gray and Arjan De Zeeuw shared the votes.
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CITY SUPPORT
Eleven City supporters in the crowd.
Chris Coleman and Steve Keen watched from the warmth of a hositality suite. Scouts from Hereford,Shrewsbury, Villa and Bradford. Amongst the agents was former Sky Blue Keith O'Neill.
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Coventry City Reserves put in a good perormance to earn a 2-2 draw at West Brom.
Baggies boss Craig Shakespeare fielded a young team with only Jared Hodgkiss and Bartosz Slusarski the only senior players for this game at Kidderminster Harriers whilst Steve Ogrizovic & Frankie Bunn were able to field a virtual first team.
Back from long term injury was Colin Hawkins with shorter term injuries Arjan De Zeeuw and Michael Hughes in the starting eleven and Stuart Giddings on the bench.
On a cold night, the Sky Blues started well with Julian Gray having a sixth minute shot from ten yards saved by the feet of Danek in the Baggies goal.
Robbie Simpson had a header saved before Slusarski headed well wide in the tenth minute.
Colin Hawkins played well in his first reserve game since August and had to be alert to clear a dangerous 15th minute cross from the right,off the line after Danny Ireland had made a tremendous save.
Playing 4-5-1 with Wayne Andrews the front man, the Sky Blues fell behind on the half hour mark when Colin Hawkins held back Sherjill Macdonald and Jack Compton stroked home the resulting penalty.
Six minutes later,Albion increased their lead through Compton who raced onto a Worral through ball,got through a gap between a couple of players and superbly rifled a shot past Ireland at the far post from twenty yards.
The Baggies had been the better side but City hit back and reduced the arrears seconds before the half-time whistle.
Wayne Andrews had a shot from a Birchall cross blocked by Danek. The ball was worked back to Ellery Cairo who drilled low into the net from the edge of the area.
Five minutes into the second half,the ball was in the City net. Thankfully,the assistant on the main stand side spotted an offside as Morrison reacted first to a superb diving save by Danny Ireland.
It looked like City had equalised in the 52nd minute,when Gray had a shot which rebounded off the keeper. Jared Hodgkiss got to the ball which looked to have crossed the line but despite an appeal,no goal was given.
On the hour mark,Stuart Giddings was introduced to the action,replacing Colin Hawkins. Lee Hildreth and Liam Davis were also sent on and it was the winger who earned a point for the Sky Blues.
Coventry had been pressing for a while. Time and time again, the midfield had closed down the home side and were able to use the wings well, while De Zeeuw controlled the defence,leaving Ireland to deal with easy catches.
In the 75th minute, Julian Gray beat his man on the right and crossed to the far post. There was Liam Davis who had a fraction of the goal to aim at,as a marker came in.
The Wandsworth born winger picked his spot perfectly and beat Danek before he got to his right hand post to earn City Reserves a very deserved draw which keeps them second in the table.
City Reserves next game is against Port Vale Reserves on Tuesday March 25th. Kick off at Liberty Way is at 2pm.