WALSALL RESERVES 1-1 COVENTRY CITY RESERVES BY KEV MONKS
Team
Ireland,Hildreth,Page,Francis,Davis,Birchall (Grandison 46,off 59) ,Gooding,Thornton (Burgess 46),Simmonds (Cain 48),Simpson,Kyle SNU Collett,Richie
Walsall
Bossu,Taundry,Boertein,C.Davies (R.Davies 72),Smith,Roper,Brittain (!ones 72),Hannah,Hall,McDermott,Ceesay (Silver 46) SNU Ravenhill,Wilkes.
HT WFC 0-1 CCFC FT WFC 1-1 CCFC
Ref A.Watts Booked Ceesay,Kyle,Burgess,Boertin
Goals Simpson (3), Roper (57) Att 91
Man Of The Match - Robert Page, Liam Francis,Liam Davis or Andy Gooding take your pick
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Coventry City had to play the last thirty one minutes with ten men in their 1-1 draw with Walsall tonight.
I'd only found out about this game being rescheduled and moved to a new venue,some six hours before kick off,so it was a mad dash to get to The Lamb in Tamworth for a 7pm kick off. Thankfully the trains were all running to schedule and we found the ground very easy to arrive in plenty of time.
Steve Ogrizovic's side had beaten Stoke at home in their last game of 2007 and the Reserve team boss was able to field a strong side. Kevin Kyle and Robbie Simpson started with a strong midfield including Chris Birchall,back and fit again from a loan at St Mirren, Kevin Thornton,Andy Gooding and Donovan Simmonds.
Walsall boss Eric McManus included former Sky Blue Paul Hall in a strong Saddlers side which contained Gambian trialist Yankuba Ceesay.
On a coldish night at The Lamb,Coventry were ahead inside three minutes with Andy Gooding,playing the ball to the right for Birchall to flick into the path of Robbie Simpson who slotted home from twelve yards.
Liam Davis played at left back and made some great runs in the opening period. One in the fifth minute won a free kick which Chris Birchall curled into the arms of keeper Bertrand Bossu, whilst another won a 21st minute corner.
Both sides were left bemused by some of the decisions made by referee Mr Watts as City controlled the play but could not work their way through the defence, despite the efforts of Kyle and Simpson.
Most of the crowd which included "Birthday Boy" Iain Dowie and Richard Money, could not work out why Ghanaian trialist Yankuba Ceesay was cautioned in the 31st minute but it led to a free kick on the edge of the area. Chris Birchall curled the kick round the ball. However, Bossu spotted it and got down to push away.
With Robert Page and Liam Francis superb at the back, Walsall had no chance of getting through and the only time David McDermott did, Danny Ireland soon was out of his goal to smother the danger.
Chris Birchall felt his hamstrings tighten in the first period and was replaced at the break as was Kevin Thornton who was taken off to save him for the first team game against Leicester on Saturday.
We thought that Donovan Simmonds was going to be substituted at the break after taking a heavy whack on the ankle four minutes before half-time. He started the second half but lasted three minutes before Ashley Cain had to be introduced.
In the 57th minute and out of nothing, Walsall drew level. The penalty area was packed with all bar four players. The ball fell loose and City supporting Ian Roper was first to react, driving the ball low into the net from fourteen yards.
Two minutes later, Jermaine Grandison who had taken over in the heart of defence with Robert Page at the break, was left in a heap after an innocuous tackle. Grandison needed treatment on his right ankle but was not fit enough to continue, leaving the Sky Blues with ten men.
Steve Ogrizovic moved quickly to reshuffle his pack and his call for every player to up their work rate was taken to heart.
Walsall did press but every time, they found the Sky Blues back four in no mood to let them gain any advantage.
Deep in stoppage time, a rare City attack saw Andy Gooding race through and it took a superb tackle to stop him and ensure that the game finished in a draw.