COVENTRY CITY 0-0 LEICESTER CITY BY KEV MONKS
For the third game running, Coventry City, having off loaded two strikers in the week,failed to find the net in a totally forgettable M69 Derby.
For what is City's biggest home game of the season, the preparation had been hampered by injuries and the sale of Gary McSheffrey.
Whilst getting £4m for a player who this time last year was attracting £80,000 bids from Luton Town may been seen as good business. The downside is that selling one of your best players is not condusive to getting your side promoted unless all the money received from a transfer fee is spent on a player who gets you even more goals than the player you have sold.
Micky Adams, ever the diplomat, reshuffled his pack and named a side that started in a Christmas tree formation. The City boss dropped Dele Adebola to the bench and brought in Don Hutchison and Colin Cameron. Robert Page who should play against Hereford was named on the bench with Moroccan Faysal El Idrissi.
Now ,whether it was because the game was on a Friday night,live on Sky, there had been thunder/lightening and heavy rain in our world famous city or the sale of Gary McSheffrey had not been received well by some City supporters. I don't know but what I do know was that the atmosphere was muted from the start and not what one would expect from a local derby.
Leicester who brought with them 1,728 fans, looked the better side in the first half but again City's defence stood firm with Elliott Ward again commanding alongside former Leicester player Matt Heath.
With Colin Cameron and Chris Birchall looking not really certain as to where they were playing, depressingly,there was no width in the Sky Blues play.
Andy Whing had a 16th minute effort punched away by Leicester keeper Paul Henderson. Stern John had a very tame shot easily saved but in the 33rd minute, a Don Hutchison free kick from 22 yards hit the post.
At times, there was more excitement off the pitch with a number of ejections from the naughty corner close to the scoreboard
With six minutes of the half to go and many supporters having nipped out for a half-time drink, Leicester created a few chances.
Firstly, Matt Heath did very well in blocking a Fryatt shot and then headed away from the resulting corner. In stoppage time, Andy Marshall did very well to block the ball with his feet from a Levi Porter shot from inside the area.
The rain continued to come down as the second half got under way. Matt Heath nodded after a Marcus Hall cross had won a corner.
In the 54th minute, Adams made his first change replacing Chris Birchall with Faysal El Idrissi. The Moroccan who scored for City Reserves in a 1-0 win over Notts County on Tuesday afternoon again looked lively and was unlucky with a 59th minute twenty yard shot.
Both sides were playing hit and hope football and Micky Adams decided to change that again bringing on Dele Adebola for Don Hutchison in the 63rd minute and four minutes later, replacing Michael Doyle with Kevin Thornton.
The two changes did bring some life to the Sky Blues now back playing 4-4-2.
Many had been heading for the sanctuary of home or the pub when the game went into stoppage time. A banner saying "Fletcher Is A Traitor" had already been unfurled in the East Stand when chants of "Why Did We Sell McSheffrey" were followed by the song we used to sing for Gary McSheffrey.
Not surprisingly, there were very loud boos on the final whistle. City have to work quick, not only to get the striker and spare keeper they need but to get the whole of the Sky Blue support back on side.
HT CCFC 0-0 LCFC
FT CCFC 0-0 LCFC
ATT 20,261
Referee A.Hall
Booked Porter,Doyle,Whing, McCarthy
Team
Marshall,Whing,Ward,Heath,Hall, Doyle (Thornton 67),Hughes,Cameron,Birchall (El Idrissi 54),Hutchison (Adebola 63),John
SNU Page,Osbourne
Leicester
Henderson,Kisnorbo, Kenton (Stearman 74), McCarthy, Hughes,Johnson,Fryatt, Johansson,Low, Hammond (Hume 56); Porter (Wesolowski 69)
SNU Logan.Maybury