COVENTRY CITY 1-1 PRESTON NORTH END BY KEV MONKS
The worst refereeing performance I have seen in 61 matches so far this season cost Coventry a victory over Preston North End at Highfield Road.
On a not too cold November evening, Peter Reid announced a team which saw Adie Williams, who joined from Reading on a free transfer, was given a home debut at the expense of Louis Carey.
With Stern John struggling with a foot injury that saw him limp out of the win against Reading on Saturday at half-time, Patrick Suffo was called upon to deputise. Dele Adebola was back at the club after a permanent move to Bradford fell through but was not considered for selection.
Now injuries have not been kind to Preston boss Billy Davies since he took over from Craig Brown at the Deepdale helm and his patched up team included keeper Gavin Ward who took the full brunt of City's FA Exit at Colchester last season and was shabbily treated by City until he departed up the M6.
City,who will be announcing the season ticket prices for next season at the new arena in December (so much for consulting fans on the prices!) saw a very early Michael Doyle free kick come to nothing.
The Lilywhites came back with Eddie Lewis getting to the byline and crossing for Coventry kid Graham Alexander to blast high into the West Terrace.
In the corresponding fixture last season, City had scored three goals in the first eleven minutes, but in the ninth minute,City won the first corner of the game. Michael Doyle took the kick and delivered a ball which missed every player.
Preston were looking for their first away victory of the season and after an Alexander free kick had gone very wide, Luke Steele pushed over a Dickson Etohu twenty yard effort for the first of three corners.
City's midfield were struggling to put together anything of note but in the 20th minute, they won a corner that was cleared after a bit of pinball for a throw.
Two more corners followed in the 24th and 27th minute before a lovely 32nd minute turn by Patrick Suffo saw him escape his marker and fire just over the crossbar from 25 yards.
Preston had decided that the physical approach was to way to go and a foul on Andy Morrell led to Brian O'Neill being cautioned for over zealously protesting about a free kick given to City.
The yellow matchball was pumped forward and found Patrick Suffo who did well in a crowd of players to remain with the ball. However, all the Cameroonian could manage was a tepid effort which Ward easily gathered.
Suffo tried again seconds later,thanks to a poor clearance from the former City keeper. Suffo got the ball on his right and hit a shot so wide it went for a throw in.
Preston's forcefulness in the tackle forced Eddy Johnson to seek some revenge take down Eddy Lewis and was duly cautioned in the 36th minute.
North End went straight down towards the West Terrace goal and it was only the foot of Stuart Giddings who stopped Richard Cresswell,a man who has scored five times in six appearances against City from lining up a shot.
Just before the half-time break, Lewis took out Morrell with an elbow which sent him flying onto the track surrounding the pitch in front of the Main Stand.
Referee Mr Wright refused to caution Lewis as the normally placid Main Standers joined the City bench in voicing their protests at a poor decision.
Morrell became the next player book a minute later when Brian O'Neill went to ground. It was clear that there was no contact but Mr Wright (or very wrong in his case) waved a yellow card in the direction of the Liecester supporting striker.
Gavin Ward received an excellent reception off the West Terrace as the teams changed round.
However, inside two minutes of the restart,one of his team mates Claude Davis was taking the full venom off the City fans when he went to ground in an attempt to get Eddy Johnson sent off.
Mr Wright conferred with his assistant and Johnson received a lecture.
Seconds later,the next decision by Mr Wright was totally correct as Patrick Suffo on the edge of the area found Andy Morrell on the right. Across came Eddie Lewis who flung out his left arms and smacked Morrell in the face.
Everyone looked at the referee who duly pointed to the penalty spot but did not caution the American.
Patrick Suffo, who scored against Sunderland on the opening day with a penalty, took the kick and sent Ward the wrong way to give City the lead.
The goal lifted City, who have said that they will accept a fan on the current board but only if they put up a minimum of £1 million, and Morrell combined with Suffo to fire over in the 51st minute from the edge of the area.
As we stood,trying to breathe, following someone in WT5 polluting the atmosphere with a stench so bad, it could be used as a weapon of mass destruction, City were denied a penalty when Graham Alexander pushed down Patrick Suffo. To everyone around me's utter disbelief, play was merely waved on by the referee for whom the word inept does not fully cover.
In the 62nd minute, Gary McSheffrey replaced the knackered Rohan Ricketts and two minutes later,two Coventry corners followed.
City were leading the game but needed another goal and in the 66th minute, we thought they had achieved this,when a lovely turn by Eddy Johnson saw him rifle the ball into the net from eight yards with aplomb.
A goal kick was awarded to the visitors. Why I don't know as there was certainly nothing wrong with it from my view point and there was no flag from the assistant referee in front of the Sky Blue Stand to indicate an offside or a foul.
To say this mistake by Mr Wright cost City is an understatement as Preston attacked, inning a corner. The kick sailed to the far side of the penalty area and fell for Eddy Lewis who sent a superb 25 yard shot past Steele and into the net.
"1-1 to the referee" and a ditty about the referee's keenness to pleasure himself echoed around the half empty ground whilst the 233 visiting supporters celebrated what was terrific strike.
In the 73rd minute,another Sky Blue corner followed and this time,Adie Williams who had a steady game got into a good position in the penalty area and hit a low drive which Ward dived to his left to beat away.
Billy Davies and his assistant David Kelly,another link with the vacant manager's job at Wolves brought on Guylan Ndumbu-Nsungu (Bet he has Preston fans queuing up to have that name on their shirts - not!).
The loanee from Sheffield Wednesday replaced Andy Smith who this time last year was playing for Northern Irish side Glentoran.
Peter Reid followed suit and swapped Florent Laville with Richard Shaw.
In the 78th minute, Davis deliberately handled the ball and escaped with only conceding a free kick on the right hand side of the penalty area. Doyle's kick was nodded out of play by Alexander for another corner.
Brian O'Neill became the second Preston player to be substituted when he was replaced by Omar Daley (Surely an Irish newspaper aimed at mothers. Think about it!) in the 83rd minute.
A minute later,a reckless challenge which left Eddy Johnson holding his neck brought a free kick that Stephen Hughes curled round the post from twenty yards.
Going into the final minute and the yellow card was out again,this time for Paul McKenna,for piling in to Patrick Suffo when he was on the ground.
City won a corner in the second minute of the three added on which was nodded wide by Dean Leacock and both sides finished with a point.
HT CCFC 0-0 PNE FT CCFC 1-1 PNE
ATT 12,478
GOALS - Patrick Suffo (48 mins pen)
Eddy Lewis (68)
Booked Brian O'Neill.Eddy Johnson, Andy Morrell, Paul McKenna
Man Of The Match - Stuart Giddings and Eddy Johnson tied the votes with Adie Williams in third place.
Mare Of The Match - Referee K.K.Wright, may he never darken our doors again
TEAM
Steele,Giddings,Laville (Shaw 75),Williams, Leacock,Doyle,Ricketts (McSheffrey 62),Hughes, Morrell,Johnson,Suffo SNU Shearer,Staunton,Deloumeaux