WEST HAM UNITED 1-0 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
City Murphy, Keogh, Cranie, Wood, Hussey, Bell (Bigirimana 67), Baker, Deegan, Thomas, Jutkiewicz (Jeffers 69), McSheffrey SNU Dunn, McPake, Willis
West Ham Green, Reid, McCartney, Tomkins, Nolan, Baldock (Nouble 72), Collison, Noble, Faubert, Diop, Cole (O'Brien 92). SNU Boffin, Carew, Lansbury.
HT WHU 0-0 CCFC FT WHU 1-0 CCFC ATT 34, 936
Referee S. Hooper Assts C.Brook and J.Magill
Booked Deegan Goal Carl Nolan (65)
Man Of The Match - Joe Murphy was the unanimous choice. ___________________
CITY SUPPORT City supporters from Germany, plus a good number of our southern based support including Brighton, Kent and various parts of London took every ticket that was available in an allocation that was heavily restricted.
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DIRECTOR WATCH Tim Fisher and Mark Labvitch were present unlike John Clarke who was on holiday in Oxford.
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CITY TEAM Andy Thorn lost Cyrus Christie to something he ate on New Years Eve and in came Chris Hussey. City U18's skipper Jordan Willis was added to the bench.
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Coventry City are back bottom of the Championship table after a 1-0 defeat at West Ham United and other results not going our way.
The traffic had been light as we set off early on a Bank Holiday Monday, down the M1 and M25,then on the train and tube for what could be our last ever visit to Upton Park if they do get the go-ahead to move into the Olympic Stadium at Stratford.
It will be a shame if they do move as Upton Park is a ground which creates atmophere and offers the chance for plenty of banter with the home fans.
Before the game, I was honoured to receive the inaugral Joseph Wratton award and thanks go to the Wratton family, Level Playing Field and West Ham United for their organisation of this.
I was back in the far corner of the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand to see City in their green/black away kit, attack the end where we were for the first half.
The performance in the first half was the same as againt Brighton in terms of the effort and commitment. Lukas Jutkiewicz took a knock to his back but continued to battle on after Bell had fired at Robert Green and Hussey sent a ninth minute shot wide.
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce had been able to bring back four players and although the likes of Nolan and Collison were able to attack, they were met by some fierce resistance from the City defence, Gary Deegan, who made a stunning saving tackle in the 15th minute and Joe Murphy.
The Irish keeper was easily having his best game in goal for the Sky Blues and dived to push away a George McCartney shot on the half hour mark.
Jutkiewicz headed a Keogh cross wide before a spell of pressure from the home side which had seen a corner and a shot, was ended when Gary McSheffrey went up the other end and was brought down by Mark Noble.
It was the City fans who had been asking the Hammers support to our left "Where Pat Butcher Had Gone", who shouted more for a penalty than the players, but nothing was given and it was all square at the break.
We expected West Ham to come out at us all guns blazing for the start of the second half but Jutkiewicz headed over and City won another corner before the home side really threatened.
In the 56th minute, City were caught on the break when a David Bell shot was blocked and Cole crossed for Sam Baldock to flick wide.
Baker tried his luck two minutes later before the Hammers won a corner. The ball came in. Joe Murphy made a fantastic right handed save from Tomkins from seven yards. The ball came back in once more and there was Murphy to save from Baldock.
West Ham were denied a blatant penalty in the 63rd minute when Nolan was fouled but two minutes later, the Hammers skipper who had a fine game, got himself on the scoresheet when a ball from the left was headed back across goal for Kevin Nolan to head firmly past the helpless Murphy.
Andy Thorn sent on Gael Bigirimana for Bell and then Shaun Jeffers came on for Jutkiewicz.
Murphy blocked a Nouble shot and in the 81st minute, used his feet to deny the substitute once again.
City, who got plenty of support, through out the game, went looking for an equaliser. Shaun Jeffers nodded a Hussey cross wide and with two minutes of normal time, Carl Baker got in a shot on the turn which hit Green's crossbar. City kept battling until the end but the goal did not come and they went down to a defeat which sent City bottom and West Ham to the top of the Championship table.