Team
Westwood,Osbourne,Fox,Dann,Ward,Morrison (Best 73),Doyle,Gunnarsson,Tabb,McKenzie (Mifsud 46),Eastwood
SNU Marshall,Hall,Simpson.
Sheffield United
Kenny,Jihai (sent off 50),Morgan,Kilgallon, Naysmith, Cotterill (Halford 62), Speed, Montgomery,Quinn,Beattie (Gillespie 89),Sharp (Webber 69)
SNU Ehiogu,Hendrie
HT SUFC 1-0 CCFC FT SUFC 1-1 CCFC
Ref D.Deadman Booked Osbourne,Fox, Mifsud,Quinn Sent Off Jihal (50)
Att 21,130. Goals Jay Tabb (30), Billy Sharp (55)
Man Of The Match Aron Gunnarsson with Tabb and Doyle getting the votes.
_____________
CITY SUPPORT
An excellent turn out, about 700 City supporters. Good backing for the team.
_____________________
STARTING LINE UP
Chris Coleman reverted back to 4-4-2. Michael Doyle started with alongside Aron Gunnarsson and Jay Tabb.
___________
Coventry City threw away their chance of a rare win at ten man Sheffield United.
Having changed the team which had drawn against Preston, Chris Coleman urged his team to get stuck in their third visit to Yorkshire in consecutive away games.
The first half was played at a frantic pace and was the best that the Sky Blues have played this season.
Attacking the end where the City support of around 700 were housed in the lower tier of the Helliwells Stand, Jay Tabb forced the well abused Paddy Kenny into a third minute save.
Then as the stewards tried to force the City support to sit down, Fredde Eastwood showed a couple of defenders a clean pair of heels and cut inside the area to hit a shot which Kenny got down to.
Doyle,Gunnarsson and Tabb absolutely bossed the midfield early on. Time and time again,they pushed forward and either had a go on goal themselves or played in McKenzie or Eastwood as Clinton Morrison was brilliantly marshalled by the classy Matthew Kilgallon.
Gunnarsson had two good shots on target with the second in the 15th minute hacked away for a corner after an initial good save from the Irish custodian.
Scott Dann headed wide from that corner and it was not until the 22nd minute that the Blades got through. James Beattie got inside of Fox but thankfully Elliott Ward made a superb saving tackle.
Now the last goal City had scored was that late header from Scott Dann against Newcastle United.
The man who provided this goal was Aron Gunnarsson and in the 30th minute, the Iceman's long throw was headed on by Dann. It fell to Jay Tabb on the right side of the penalty area. He steadied himself and then drove low into the net before celebrating with the jubilant City support.
With Mr Deadman (his name not a threat), booking both City full backs, the home side did have one chance but Keiran Westwood had done enough to put off Beattie and keep City ahead going into the break.
Leon McKenzie,who had picked up a knock was replaced by Michael Mifsud at a break in which we mused that the home side normally get a dubious penalty.
Two minutes into the second half and there was a penalty alright. But it was for the Sky Blues as Michael Mifsud was hacked down by Sun Jihal.
Elliott Ward stepped up and took the kick. This is in,we thought but no. The centre half's right footed shot went well wide of Kenny's left hand post.
Our hearts sank but we were soon cheering as Jihal was given a straight red for poleaxing the Maltese man who has been linked with moves to Sheffield United.
Suddenly,the ten man of Sheffield United were back in the game. Michael Doyle let the ball through and Billy Sharp turned inside the area,in the 55th minute to drive past Westwood.
The former Scunthorpe man raced towards the City fans with his arm aloft. He was pounced on by Stephen Quinn,whose idea of a celebration was to make an obscene gesture towards the City fans.
One Sky Blue lunged at Quinn,who moved the fastest he had done all game away from the scene of the crime.
With United having doubled their tempo, City started to lose their composure on the ball.
Long passes started to not find their target and it was becoming harder to say who was the side with ten men.
Leon Best was sent on. No boos only cheers greeted the former Southampton striker. He played alongside Michael Mifsud who may have had a 79th minute penalty had he not dived so blatantly.
Best wasted a great chance in the 84th minute after a fifty yard pass from Eastwood had picked him out.
We entered three minutes of stoppage time. Gary Speed fired a shot which Westwood punched over for a corner. That was cleared upfield. Kenny came out and played the ball off a defender and it fell for Best.
The striker had time to use what foot he wanted and time to take a few more yards but to our horror,he swung at the ball which flew well wide of Kenny's left hand post.
That was the last kick of the match and we were left to rue the not taken chances and a much needed away victory.