COVENTRY CITY 0-1 SHEFFIELD UNITED BY KEV MONKS
Team Konstantopolous,McNamee (Osborne 46),De Zeeuw,Turner,Borrowdale (Andrews 79),Cairo (McKenzie 64), Doyle,Tabb, S.Hughes,Gray,Adebola SNU Marshall,Ward
Sheffield United Kenny, Bardsley,Cahill,Kilgallon,Naysmith, Gillespie, Tonge,Montgomery,Armstrong, Carney (Webber 82), Beattie SNU Gerrard,Bromby,Stead,Quinn
HT CCFC 0-0 SUFC FT CCFC 0-1 SUFC ATT 20,355
GOAL Chris Armstrong (60) Ref C.Webster Booked Adebola,Borrowdale,Bardsley,Beattie.
Man Of The Match - Jay Tabb again took all the votes
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STARTING LINE UP
Iain Dowie made three changes to the starting line-up for the draw against Scunthorpe on Tuesday. With Marcus Hall doing his Achilles in training, Gary Borrowdale came back into the fold with Arjan De Zeeuw replacing Elliott Ward and Ellery Cairo in for Issac Osbourne who went on the bench with Ward.
Bryan Robson fielded a strong side with the likes of James Beattie and Keith Gillespie included.
Adebola
Gray Tabb Doyle Hughes Cairo
Borrowdale Turner De Zeeuw McNamee
Konstantopolous
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CITY SUPPORT
Just under 2,500 Blades, a host of free tickets to school kids helped to make a 20,000 plus gate. City were fairly noisy early on whilst the visitors were noisy throughout.
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Coming at the end of a frantic week where the real dramas were played out behind closed doors at meetings in Coventry,London and Manchester as City fought for their very existence, a victory would have boosted morale no end. But one goal was enough to be shot shy City as Coventry City went down to a 1-0 home defeat to Sheffield United.
Iain Dowie who threatened to 'review his position' (and may lose his job if Mr Ranson takes over, depending on which of the many rumours you listen to), if City had gone into administration made three changes from the side that had drawn with nine man Scunthorpe in midweek.
Playing a 4-5-1 system with Jay Tabb having a free role, 'Hoof the ball to Dele'. However, Bryan Robson's side were organised and ensured that bodies were in the way on the rare occasion the Sky Blues threatened the Jewson Stand goal in the first half.
Julian Gray, who seemed to have difficulty in keeping possession, had the first real chance when he hooked over the bar in the eighth minute.
Keith Gillespie was a thorn in City's side and put in one excellent cross in the tenth minute forcing Ben Turner,who was solid at the back with Arjan De Zeeuw, to head away for a corner.
Playing with only one striker up front, meant that chances were always going to be something of a premium. The nearest City came to scoring was in the 32nd minute when Ellery Cairo turned inside the area to rifle a shot which Paddy Kenny had to push over the bar.
Michael Doyle had a shot pushed away for a corner and Adebola wasted a good chance in the 44th minute when clear through but for the eleventh consecutive game, City went into the half-time break without having scored a goal.
David McNamee was replaced at the break. One incident had left him on the deck and when he got up he was feeling his hamstring, so it seemed that this may have been the reason why he was replaced by Osbourne at right back.
Three minutes into the second half and James Beattie who has been banging the goals in for United, was the first player to be cautioned by referee Mr Webster when he tripped Julian Gary.
In the 59th minute, Beattie was up the other end, getting in a header which Konstantopolous had to push over for a corner.
The game needed a goal but it was more pain and anguish for the masochists that us City supporters are. Just on the hour mark, James Beattie delivered a cross from the left to the far post. Three players came in, but it was Chris Armstrong who got to the ball to deflect it into the net.
There was mayhem in the Unitedites end which saw one fan ejected for jumping onto the track to celebrate with the players.
Dowie immediately switched to 4-4-2 by sending on Leon McKenzie in place of Ellery Cairo. It was a move that was met by boos of some of the clearly disgruntled crowd, who felt that Cairo represented a better chance of supplying a goal than some other players.
Gillespie fired into the side netting before Dowie made his third change with Wayne Andrews replacing Gary Borrowdale.
We sat there urging City to get a goal which would give us a point but nothing was forthcoming and we trooped away dejected after another poor performance and another defeat.