IPSWICH TOWN 3-2 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City put in a superb performance but it was not enough to stop a 3-2 defeat at Ipswich Town.
With the new badge design which offended so many, thankfully being shelved by a Board whose ability to drag this club from crisis to crisis is an uncanny art, the Sky Blue Army set off up the A14 to Ipswich.
For this game against the league leaders, Caretaker boss Adrian Heath made two changes to the team that beat Crewe in the FA Cup last weekend with Dean Leacock replacing the suspended Bristol City target Louis Carey and Isaac Osbourne replacing Neil Wood who was injured in training.
City were straight on the attack forcing two very early corners as the 600+ Coventry supporters (including one from Malaga) launched into a chorus of "If You Thought The Badge Was Sh#t,Clap Your Hands".
Joe Royle's side won a corner which Shefki Kuqi fired well wide. This was in the ninth minute and two minutes later, Steve Staunton send a good ball to Andy Morrell who side stepped his marker before driving low for Kelvin Davis to save.
The Town keeper cleared upfield. Leacock was first to the ball. He launched it forward and found the unmarked STERN JOHN. The Trinidadian was six yards out and with the home defence stood still,John turned and lashed the ball high into the net sparking euphoria amongst the Sky Blue following and much to the dislike of the stewards who again were persistent in their calls for us to sit down.
With Ipswich not closing down the Coventry midfield, City's formation of 3-4-3 was more than holding its own.
Kuqi flashed well wide as did Gary McSheffrey before Luke Steele caught a 30th minute Darren Currie free kick that was sent to Isaac Osbourne via Staunton and John to the Brummie who fired wide from 25 yards.
In the 42nd minute, Dean Leacock took a knock on the same ankle that he had injured during the midweek reserve game with Leicester as he conceded a corner.
This time, Luke Steele made a superb catch from the flag kick, but on the stroke of half-time, he was helpless as Darren Bent shoved Adie Williams out of the way to score through a crowded penalty area.
Both Stephen Hughes and Adrian Heath protested to the referee Mike Russell but it was to no avail.
Four minutes into the second half,a heavy tackle by Jim Magilton, coupled with one he received in the first half, left Dean Leacock to limp off and be replaced by Andy Whing.
In the 58th minute,the Suffolk side took the lead when Darren Bent got past the City defence and finished with a shot that went in at the far post.
The home side's lead lasted for just over a minute as McSheffrey got down the right,cut inside and Kelvin Davis got down to his right to give City a corner. Doyle took the kick and Mr Russell spotted Kuqi handling the ball and awarded a penalty. Up stepped GARY MCSHEFFREY who smashed home the spot kick.
This was now entertaining stuff with Stern John heading just over in 64th minute from a Hughes free kick.
Adrian Heath made his second switch in the 68th minute when Claus Jorgensen came on for Andy Morrell and was followed by Joe Royle who replaced Magilton with Dean Bowditch.
Ipswich were starting to get their share of the refereeing decisions and in the 74th minute,the City fans who were in fine voice through out, were fuming as Michael Doyle was smashed in his genitalia by Kevin Horlock who got away with a lecture from the Hertfordshire referee.
City won a 74th minute corner and then attacked three minutes later. Kelvin Davis grabbed the ball as it came his way and sliced the kick out of his hands. It fell for SHEFKI KUQI,who was played onside by Adie Williams. The Finnish international ran for forty yards before smashing the ball past Steele and into the net.
To their credit, City came straight back and should have had a penalty when an Andy Whing shot was handled by a Town defender. The decision not to give it offended the popular right back who got involved in a contratente with Richard Naylor and both players were booked.
Dele Adebola came on for the industrious Isaac Osbourne with ten minutes left to bolster the City attack.
City who had Shaw cautioned late on kept battling but it was not enough to stop Ipswich taking the victory and a good performance not getting the result it deserved.
HT ITFC 1-1 CCFC FT ITFC 3-2 CCFC
Coventry City put in a superb performance but it was not enough to stop a 3-2 defeat at Ipswich Town.
With the new badge design which offended so many, thankfully being shelved by a Board whose ability to drag this club from crisis to crisis is an uncanny art, the Sky Blue Army set off up the A14 to Ipswich.
For this game against the league leaders, Caretaker boss Adrian Heath made two changes to the team that beat Crewe in the FA Cup last weekend with Dean Leacock replacing the suspended Bristol City target Louis Carey and Isaac Osbourne replacing Neil Wood who was injured in training.
City were straight on the attack forcing two very early corners as the 600+ Coventry supporters (including one from Malaga) launched into a chorus of "If You Thought The Badge Was Sh#t,Clap Your Hands".
Joe Royle's side won a corner which Shefki Kuqi fired well wide. This was in the ninth minute and two minutes later, Steve Staunton send a good ball to Andy Morrell who side stepped his marker before driving low for Kelvin Davis to save.
The Town keeper cleared upfield. Leacock was first to the ball. He launched it forward and found the unmarked STERN JOHN. The Trinidadian was six yards out and with the home defence stood still,John turned and lashed the ball high into the net sparking euphoria amongst the Sky Blue following and much to the dislike of the stewards who again were persistent in their calls for us to sit down.
With Ipswich not closing down the Coventry midfield, City's formation of 3-4-3 was more than holding its own.
Kuqi flashed well wide as did Gary McSheffrey before Luke Steele caught a 30th minute Darren Currie free kick that was sent to Isaac Osbourne via Staunton and John to the Brummie who fired wide from 25 yards.
In the 42nd minute, Dean Leacock took a knock on the same ankle that he had injured during the midweek reserve game with Leicester as he conceded a corner.
This time, Luke Steele made a superb catch from the flag kick, but on the stroke of half-time, he was helpless as Darren Bent shoved Adie Williams out of the way to score through a crowded penalty area.
Both Stephen Hughes and Adrian Heath protested to the referee Mike Russell but it was to no avail.
Four minutes into the second half,a heavy tackle by Jim Magilton, coupled with one he received in the first half, left Dean Leacock to limp off and be replaced by Andy Whing.
In the 58th minute,the Suffolk side took the lead when Darren Bent got past the City defence and finished with a shot that went in at the far post.
The home side's lead lasted for just over a minute as McSheffrey got down the right,cut inside and Kelvin Davis got down to his right to give City a corner. Doyle took the kick and Mr Russell spotted Kuqi handling the ball and awarded a penalty. Up stepped GARY MCSHEFFREY who smashed home the spot kick.
This was now entertaining stuff with Stern John heading just over in 64th minute from a Hughes free kick.
Adrian Heath made his second switch in the 68th minute when Claus Jorgensen came on for Andy Morrell and was followed by Joe Royle who replaced Magilton with Dean Bowditch.
Ipswich were starting to get their share of the refereeing decisions and in the 74th minute,the City fans who were in fine voice through out, were fuming as Michael Doyle was smashed in his genitalia by Kevin Horlock who got away with a lecture from the Hertfordshire referee.
City won a 74th minute corner and then attacked three minutes later. Kelvin Davis grabbed the ball as it came his way and sliced the kick out of his hands. It fell for SHEFKI KUQI,who was played onside by Adie Williams. The Finnish international ran for forty yards before smashing the ball past Steele and into the net.
To their credit, City came straight back and should have had a penalty when an Andy Whing shot was handled by a Town defender. The decision not to give it offended the popular right back who got involved in a contratente with Richard Naylor and both players were booked.
Dele Adebola came on for the industrious Isaac Osbourne with ten minutes left to bolster the City attack.
City who had Shaw cautioned late on kept battling but it was not enough to stop Ipswich taking the victory and a good performance not getting the result it deserved.
HT ITFC 1-1 CCFC FT ITFC 3-2 CCFC
ATT 23 670
GOALS Stern John (11)
Darren Bent (44 & 58)
Gary McSheffrey (60 pen)
Shefki Kuqi (78)
BOOKED Naylor,Whing,Shaw
Man Of The Match - In what was a good team performance, Isaac Osbourne won the votes ahead of Richard Shaw, Stern John and Michael Doyle
Steele,Leacock (Whing 49),Staunton, Shaw,Williams, Doyle,Hughes,Morrell (Jorgensen 68), Osbourne (Adebola 79),McSheffrey,John SNU Shearer,Johnson