Date 11/07/09 AT The Racecourse Ground
Attendance 1359
TEAM
Konstantopolpous (Westwood 46), Wynter (Clarke 28),Hall (Grandison 46), McPake (Ward 46),Turner (Wright 46), Fox (Cain 64), Doyle (Gunnarsson 46),Osbourne (Walker 46), Cain (Bell 46), Morrison (Eastwood 60), Eastwood (Best 34)
Wrexham
Maxwell, Spann, Williamson, Kempson, Mike Williams, Cieslewicz, Jones, Fleming, N.Taylor, Marc Williams, Gareth Taylor
Subs Used Smith, Medinilla-Cabotti, Fairhurst, Brown, Baynes, Kearney, Assoumani, Taboubi, Abbott, Edwards, Tor Naes, McCluskey, Moss
Half Time Score: WFC 1-0 CCFC
Full Time Score: WFC 1-1 CCFC Goals Marc Williams (23), Jermaine Grandison (64) Referee C.Lo Fara Man Of The Match Plenty of choices today but Danny Fox took the votes from Jermaine Grandison.
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Coventry City started their pre-season campaign with a 1-1 draw at Wrexham.
With the prospect of catching up with friends, rather than seeing any new players thanks to SISU's tightness with the purse strings, we arrived at The Racecourse Ground in Wrexham for City's opening pre-season friendly.
193 City fans, some of whom travelled on a highly organised coach run by the Sky Blue Trust, plus Ray Ranson, Joe Elliott and Gary Hoffman had made their way over the border into North Wales and took their place in the Yale Stand.
Coventry attacked the left hand goal in the first half and were almost ahead after ninety seconds when Danny Fox who played in midfield floated in from the left and hit a shot which thumped the bar.
Unfortunately, it was the Dragons who had the better of the play in the first half.
Adrian Cieslewicz and Mark Jones showed some good touches to put pressure on the City defence.
In the 14th minute, Konstantopolous dived to his left to deny Gareth Taylor. But nine minutes later,the Greek keeper was greeted by howls of laughter from the home fans and abuse from some of the Sky Blue Army. Dimi dropped on a ball inside the area and slipped. The ball was past inside to Wrexham's number ten which on the teamsheet, kindly supplied to me by a Wrexham fan was Gareth Taylor, but it later transpired was Marc Williams, who fired into the empty net from thirteen yards.
It got worse as Curtis Wynter, who had been playing well up until this point, felt his hamstring pop and went down in a heap. He was stretchered off and replaced by another youngster Jordan Clarke.
Clarke, the U18's skipper for this season, slotted in at right back well and had a solid game alongside Turner and McPake.
Leon Best also came on to try and get City going forward but too often he found his route to goal blocked.
At the break, the grey suited Chris Coleman and his new sidekick Steve Harrison made seven changes. Only Danny Fox and Clinton Morrison stayed on,
There was more purpose to this new look City side as Fox and Gunnarsson started to find the forwards.
Adam Walker and Clinton Morrison both fired over before Best was fouled in the 63rd minute. Fox whipped the ball over only for Chris Smith to dive and head out for a corner.
The second of which, was met by Jermaine Grandison some sixteen yards out and his well met header flew into the net through a crowded penalty area to get City level.
Danny Fox, who played well but upset some of the locals with a couple of his tackles, was replaced to good applause by Ashley Cain.
Two minutes after the goal, Stephen Wright, who had taken over as captain from James McPake, made a splendid goal-line clearance.
Then as time ticked away, Keiren Westwood made two cracking saves, diving to his left on both occasions to stop a Wes Baynes free kick and then a 27 yard pile driver from the same man.
Eastwood had one chance in stoppage time but the substitute keeper was able to smother and City, in their new kit, left with a draw.
As pre-season matches go, this was a good opener for City. Dean Saunders side were no mugs and could play some good football.
The youngsters Clarke, Cain, Walker, Wynter and Grandison all put in a good shift whilst there were solid performances from Bell, McPake, Turner and Westwood.
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