A Goal At Last For City

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1-0 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS

Date 21/07/10 At Sixfields Stadium

Team
Westwood (Thomas 65), Keogh, Hussey (Jeffers 85), McPake (Cameron 46), Turner, McSheffrey, Gunnarsson, Clingan, Baker (Cranie 74), Eastwood, O'Donovan SNU Clarke, Quirke

Northampton

Walker, Rogers (Harris 83), Hall, Thornton (Kostantinou 74), Beckwith, Wedderburn (Gilligan 59), Osman (Kaziboni 86), Davis (Jacobs 63), Guinan (Purcell 62), McKay (Slowe 86). SNU Gherasin, Farquarson, McCready.

HT NTFC 0-1 CCFC FT NTFC 0-1 CCFC ATT 1829
Referee A Woolmer
Goal James McPake (5)
Man Of The Match Chris Hussey took the votes.
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Coventry City finally scored a goal to win 1-0 at Northampton Town.

City went into their third public pre-season game having decided that trialists Orlando Smeekes and Kevin Ellegaard were not for them.

Aidy Boothroyd named a starting eleven which saw James McPake a late change for Richard Wood start with Gary McSheffrey given a place on the left with Eastwood and O'Donovan up front.

Marcus Hall, whose release and subsequent non appearance against Watford, shows how little say supporters have in the running of the Sky Blues, got a great ovation from the City supporters before kick off as he took his place in a Cobblers side that also featured former Sky Blues Kevin Thornton and Liam Davis.

The cheers that the trio got, continued when City finally scored their first goal of pre-season in the fifth minute. Attacking the far end, which was empty, City won a free kick on the left. Ben Turner rose at the far post and there was James McPake from about eight yards out to lash the ball into the net.

There was plenty of celebrations amongst the City support which looked to out number those in the Main Stand.

As units, City were organised and Keiren Westwood only had one real save to make. That came in the 12th minute when Liam Davis got in a shot from 16 yards that Westwood easily dealt with.

Ben Turner and McPake looked solid whilst Chris Hussey who had a fine game and Richard Keogh pushed forward as often as they could.

Clingan and Gunnarsson who had a couple of good efforts on goal in the 18th and 27th minute.

Freddy Eastwood was lively but his partner up front Roy O'Donovan certainly did not have his scoring boots on and he fired wide in the 29th minute before wasting good work from Eastwood when he sliced wide eight minutes later.

McSheffrey who passed the ball well found Eastwood a minute later but Walker was equal to his effort.

At the break, McPake, who had taken a knock was replaced by Nathan Cameron.

Attacking the end where the City support was, a lovely 55th minute run by McSheffrey down the left set up Eastwood for a shot which was blocked by a defender for a corner.

McSheffrey fired over from that and played in Chris Hussey two minutes later to get in a good cross which brought out a good catch from the young keeper.

Northampton replaced Liam Davis who left to good applause and in the 65th minute, Aidy Boothroyd started to make changes. Keiren Westwood went off to be replaced by trialist Lawrence Thomas.

Four minutes later, there was a massive groan when a neat run by Eastwood saw him square the ball for O'Donovan who was six yards out. Unbelievably, the Irishman in his second spell at the club blasted over the bar and there were loud groans and some telling him to get off etc from the City support who were less than happy that such a good chance had been squandered.

Clingan went a lot closer to the target with a twenty-yarder provided by Hussey before Carl Baker and Kevin Thornton were replaced.

Another Clingan shot was palmed down by Walker before O'Donovan headed wide from four yards with nine minutes left.

As time went on, Lawrence Thomas, who worked well on Saturday, fetching match balls and delivering water-bottles, redeemed himself after conceding a free free by diving to his left to make an excellent save for a corner.