COVENTRY CITY RESERVES 3-2 ARSENAL BY KEV MONKS
Graham Barrett two goals 
If proof was ever needed that the only place to play reserve team home matches is at Highfield Road came as City scored three goals for the third time in league matches this season played at our unfortunately soon to be demolished home to beat Arsenal 3-2.
City boss Alan Cork fielded a good mix of first teamers and young players and gave an outing to central defender Mark Howard who is on trial at Ryton in a side that contained fit again Andy Morrell and Eddy Johnson.
Arsenal were forced to name a young side as their first team have a Champions League game this week and late changes saw them lose keeper Stuart Taylor and midfielder Sebastian Larsson with Michael Jordan and Anthony Stokes stepping in.
Attacking the East Stand in front of a crowd a fair bit bigger than one would expect at Nuneaton Borough and one that included a number of scouts with Millwall being well represented, Andy Whing won a corner with only twenty seconds gone.
Both keepers got one touch of the ball with Jonny Tuffey diving to smother an Anthony Stokes free kick and Jordan catching a Neil Wood free kick before Coventry took the lead in the 22nd minute.
The ball was played out to Andy Hall on the left, a long sweeping cross was met by the unmarked Graham Barrett who rose to nod the ball over Jordan who was five yards off his line. Against his former club, Barrett did not celebrate and looked rather bemused at what was City's first goal in four games.
Hall provided another telling cross four minutes later which Neil Wood drove wide as City kept up the momentum.
Determined to show his former club what he could do, a lovely turn and back heel from Barrett found Andy Morrell who got to the byline to deliver a cross which Sean Kelly cleared for a corner, just before the half hour mark.
Captain Sean Cooney was doing a good job marshalling City's defence but three minutes before the interval,a clumsy trip by Mark Howard on Arturo Lupoli gave Neil Banfield's side a penalty.
Anthony Stokes stepped up to score with a spot kick that just crept past Jonny Tuffey.
Eddy Johnson was struggling with a hamstring pull and was replaced at the interval by Liam Nicell with Craig Reid coming on for Andy Whing.
Andy Hall cleared off the line from a Stokes effort straight after the restart but in the 49th minute, City were back in front when a Morrell cross was met by a back header from Graham Barrett and went into the net from six yards.
There was little time to celebrate as Arsenal were level with thirty seconds. Anthony Stokes got the ball straight from the kick off, skipped past Hall and Howard before firing across Tuffey's body and into the net.
Back came the Sky Blues thanks to some excellent work from Isaac Osbourne,Craig Pead and Neil Wood in midfield and they had the ball in the net in the 63rd minute when Mark Howard rose to head in a Neil Wood corner. However,referee Bob Desmond spotted a shove and the goal was ruled out.
In the 67th minute, Barrett forced his way into the penalty area, Sean Kelly stepped in and played the ball back to his goal keeper who immediately picked it up.
Now the referee had been employing a system of if you appeal you get it and with the City players and supporters appealing. the Sky Blues were awarded a free kick very close to the penalty spot.
Arsenal got everyone back on the line,but it was not good enough as Neil Wood found a gap with a well struck shot to put City ahead for a third time.
Craig Reid and Barrett continued to look menacing up front with the Irishman twice being brought down by clumsy tackles that went unfinished.
With City in total control and every player in sky blue having a good game, Craig Reid had a last minute header from a very long Tuffey kick grabbed by Jordan before it went into the net.
A fourth would have been nice but three goals were enough to wrap up a good team performance with a victory.
TEAM
Arsenal