COVENTRY CITY RESERVES 1-4 SOUTHAMPTON BY KEV MONKS
Matthew Mills came back to haunt City as Steve Ogrizovic's side were well beaten at home by Southampton. With first team keeper Luke Steele picking up a knock,Scott Shearer was rested and Jonny Tuffey was promoted to keeper. Ogrizovic made two more changes from the team that drawn at West Ham last week with Graham Barrett replacing Neil Wood and Claus Jorgensen's place being taken by Anthony Barry as Dean Leacock withdrew shortly before kick off.
Southampton boss Stewart Henderson fielded a strong side and the visitors were ahead after only 37 seconds when Bjarni Gudjonsson lost the ball, Leon Best seized upon it and raced through to slot the ball past Tuffey.Stunned by this early set back, City went straight back at the visitors who were well supported in front of a bigger than normal gate at Manor Park.
Two minutes after the goal, City drew level when Patrick Suffo beat a defender with a shot which deflected off a defender and went into the net with Saints keeper Alan Blayney completely flat footed.
Suffo was lively up front with Craig Reid and in the fourth minute, the Cameroonian saw his header from a Gudjonsson free kick come off a defender and go out for a corner.
Trying to provide Suffo and Reid with some service was Graham Barrett and the Irish international ghosted in from the left flank in the sixth minute, to fire wide from twenty yards.
The former Arsenal striker was involved three minutes later,this time crossing to Patrick Suffo to slice wide at the far post.
When Southampton had the ball, they looked more than capable of doing something with it and in the twelfth minute,referee Bob Desmond who had an excellent game gave the visitors a free kick,some twenty five yards out. Danny Higginbotham took the kick and thumped the ball past the wrong footed City keeper with a stunning strike.
If this was not bad enough and by now the village idiot who blights home reserve matches had turned up to make matters even worse, two minutes later, Southampton went further in front when Leon Best got on the end of a free kick and nodded the ball past Tuffey into the net.
The City players looked shell shocked and attempts were made to tighten up the defence with all the midfield playing very deep.
City managed to hang on until the 37th minute when Southampton won a corner on the far side. When the kick was swung into a crowded penalty up rose Matthew Mills who planted a close range header into the net.
Mills whose loan spell at Highfield Road was one of highs and lows was substituted at the interval and replaced by pacy right back Eddie Anaclet.
The Coventry players mush have had the rollicking of their lives as they look a lot more organised and composed on the ball as the second half restarted.
In the 54th minute,Craig Reid did well to turn and hit a low drive which Coventry a corner and won another a minute later, after Tuffey had caught a Aaron Davies shot
The young City keeper who recovered from a bad knock sustained when he dived at a Bristol City striker to prevent a certain goal in an U18's game ten days ago,dived to his left to superbly save from Best following a Davies cross.
Patrick Suffo was again a handful for the Saints defence and in the 71st minute,his shot on the turn was cleared up the other end, leaving Liam Nicell no choice but to concede a corner.
When the kick came in,the ball for England U21 international David Prutton who hit a twenty yard pile driver that dipped just over Tuffey's crossbar.
Steve Ogrizovic made two changes as the game wore on with Anthony Barry being replaced by Ray Gooding's son Andy who is an England U17 international in the 72nd minute and ten minutes after,Patrick Suffo was replaced by fit again Ben Mackey.
Now fair play to Suffo as he made his way to the changing rooms underneath the Manor Park Main Stand,he stopped and signed every autograph he was asked for including the village idiot who asked him how long was left.
There was no further action in the final minutes and the City supporters filed out of the ground, knowing that City had been beaten by a well organised team with some good players.
HT CCFC 1-4 SFC FT CCFC 1-4 SFC
ATT 200
GOALS - Leon Best (37 secs & 14.35 mins)
Patrick Suffo (2.37 mins)
Danny Higginbotham (12.57 mins)
Matthew Mills (37.10 mins)
Booked None
Man Of The Match - Patrick Suffo
Tuffey,Hall,Nicell,Osbourne,Whing,Barry (Gooding 72), Gudjonsson,Pead,Reid,Suffo (Mackey 82),Barrett. SNU Leacock, Belford, Wall.
Southampton
Blayney,Baird,Gillett,Prutton,Mills (Anaclet 46),Higginbotham, Davies,McGoldrick (Sparv 66), Best,Folly,Surman (Dyer 82) SNU Poke.
