COVENTRY CITY 1-1 IPSWICH TOWN BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City are unbeaten in two matches but it was not enough to stop the boos after a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town at the Arena.
On a bitterly cold afternoon, Micky Adams made changes from the side that had drawn 0-0 at Cardiff some thirteen days ago. In came Andy Whing at right back replacing Richard Duffy who had been on international duty with Wales, Michael Doyle returned after suspension and Dele Adebola regained his place in the starting eleven.
Attacking the end where the new scoreboard was situated (at the corner of the East Stand and away end, ideal for the Jonny Corporate in the Main Stand but not for those in the East Stand where many home fans are situated. Address your complaints to Arena Coventry Limited not CCFC), Michael Doyle was booked early on by referee Graham Salisbury.
Dele Adebola,in the fourth minute created City first chance when his shot from the right was cleared for a corner. Matt Heath was first to Stephen Hughes flag-kick but his header inside the penalty area when over the bar of Town keeper Lewis Price.
Five minutes later, the Sky Blues created another chance, Andy Whing got himself in a great position. But from a similar position to where he scored THAT goal against Derby,this time, he fired well,well wide.
Robert Page always looked unfazed and put in a superb tackle to give Joe Royle's team a twelth minute corner. Jim Magilton swung the ball over,just making contact with Richard Naylor. Mr Salisbury's view was different to mine and many other people inside the ground and Ipswich were given another corner.
Two more corners follow six minutes later before Adebola missed with a header.
Ipswich backed by 2500 fans, and who had wasted a good chance to get out of this division last season went close in the 26th minute. A lovely run by Nicky Forster was knocked back to Naylor. The ball missed the far post by inches as it went out for a goal kick.
On the thirty minute mark, James McEveley was booked for a clumsy challenge on Andy Whing. This gave City a free kick about twenty five or so yards out. Stephen Hughes stepped up and hit a sublime drive only to see it hit the joint of the far post and crossbar.
The game needed a goal and it would have come in the 37th minute if Marcus Hall had not put in an excellent well timed tackle to thwart Ian Westlake and concede a corner.
Gary McSheffrey and Michael Doyle who had picked up a knock both kept Price's hands warm whilst on the stroke of half-time, some good work by Foster played in Westlake to hit a shot which just shaved a post.
Westlake was replaced at half-time as the sky darkened further still. Four minutes into the second half and the mood of the long suffering City supporters,every one of whom had made an effort to be there in what was the lowest home crowd for a Saturday this season, turned black when the visitors took the lead.
It took a mistake by Andy Whing to let in
the cross and one by Page for not picking up his marker to create the goal which saw Gavin Williams given plenty of space to thump the ball past Fulop.
Michael Doyle was noticeably struggling and was replaced by Kevin Thornton in the 51st minute. Four minutes later the young midfielder who has been starring for the reserves over the last year or so, played a short ball inside,it was banged into a crowded penalty area. Gary McSheffrey was first to it, he turned and hit a left footed drive low into the bottom corner of the net.
He raced to the City fans in the CET Stand badge kissing as he made his way past the goal and back onto the field of play.
When play restarted, a free kick for a foul on James Scowcroft was knocked back down by Page to Adebola whose header went agonisingly wide.
Ipswich threw on Darren Currie who had played well in the 2-2 draw between the two sides last month and won the visitors a 73rd minute corner.
Just after Gary McSheffrey had pounced on a loose ball after Sito Castro had clearly slipped, only for a free kick to be amazingly given by the referee, we witnessed the first pitch incursion at the Arena.
One ginger-haired chav seemingly egged on by his mates raced onto the pitch at the corner flag between the CET and Main Stand. he jigged around whilst play went on at the other end. This idiot danced around trying to avoid the stewards before being brought down with a rugby tackle by a stewards. Around eight blue coated stewards pounced and carted off this idiot using the minimum of force. Some of his mates tried to free this juvenile from the clutches of the stewards as he was hauled off down the tunnel.
As soon as this incident had finished,another started in the East Stand. Now I did not have a clear view of this incident as I had done the previous one,but the radio reports I heard on my way home claimed that it was City supporters fighting each other.
Back on the pitch and it was Ipswich who were now the stronger winning a number of corners and free kicks which thankfully all came to nothing.
City who are out of the bottom three only on goals scored, really needed a victory from this game but it was not to be and the boos which were loud on the final whistle were harsh,they were understandable.
HT CCFC 0-0 ITFC
FT CCFC 1-1 ITFC
ATT 18 316
Goals Gavin Williams (49),Gary McSheffrey (55)
Booked Michael Doyle,James McEveley
TEAM
Fulop,Whing,Hall,Page,Hughes,Doyle (Thornton 51),Adebola (Morrell 75),McSheffrey, Jorgensen,Heath. SNU Ince,Duffy,Impey
IPSWICH
Price, De Vos,McEveley,Naylor Magilton (Currie 61),Forster (Bowditch 78),Parkin,Castro,Juan,Williams,Westlake (Richards 46) SNU Wilnis,Supple