BRISTOL CITY 3-1 COVENTRY CITY Mon Apr 09 at Ashton Gate
City: Murphy, Clarke, Keogh, Cranie, Clingan, Hussey (Christie 66), Deegan (Bigiirimana 85), Norwood, McSheffrey, Platt, McDonald (Nimely 78). SNU Dunn, Willis.
Bristol City: Gerken, Foster, Arnogu, Fontaine, McGivern, Adomah (Bolasie 81), Kilkenny, Skuse, Pearson (Ephraim 78), Stead (Wood 65), Pitman (Sent Off 86). SNU James, Cisse.
HT BCFC 0-1 CCFC FT BCFC 3-1 CCFC
ATT 19,003
Referee S.Mathieson Assts A Davies & A. Horton
Booked Adomah, Foster Sent Off Pitman 86
Goals Jon Stead (og 32), Jon Stead (47), Yannick Bolasie (81), Chris Wood (94)
Man Of The Match Chris Hussey took the votes with nominations for Jordan Clarke.
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CITY SUPPORT 2500 City supporters from as far away as Norway, Northern Ireland and Brighton packed the Wedlock Stand and were in other areas of the ground.
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CITY TEAM: Clive Platt started at the expense of Alex Nimely and Gary Deegan came into midfield.
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The curse of big away Coventry City support and a poor team performance was seen yet again as the Sky Blues crashed to a 3-1 defeat at Bristol City.
After Saturday's draw against Peterborough and an away win for Bristol City had sent the Sky Blues back into the bottom three, meaning that this was the biggest league game for the club in years.
Every ticket had been sold in the ramshackle away end and there were City supporters who had made a mockery of the local promotion by getting tickets in every part of the ground.
It was pouring with rain but the atmosphere created by the City fans was excellent.
Joe Murphy was busy early on dealing with shots from Pitman and former City loanee Jon Stead.
City's tactic of lumping it in the air to Clive Platt was soon flawed as Liam Fontaine was able to beat him every time in the air.
Attacking the Ateyo Stand, City forced three corners in the 18th minute but for the next ten minutes with Gary Deegan chasing balls that were meant for Oliver Norwood, Bristol looked more likely to score.
Then in the 32nd minute, it was pandemonium in the away end when Chris Hussey sent over a free kick and Jon Stead back headed it into his own net for City's 100th league own goal since 1919.
"All bounce if you are one nil up" sang the City fans but that was as good as it got from a team of players supposedly pumped up for their biggest game in years.
Probably, myself and the many friends I spoke to at the break should not have derided the abilities of Jon Stead as two minutes into the second half, he got the home side level when he bundled in from a corner.
Clarke and Hussey sent in crosses and Platt headed over as the rain turned torrential.
An hour had been played and Andy Thorn really should have been thinking about making a change up front. Nothing came from the City bench until the 66th minute when Hussey limped off and was replaced by Cyrus Christie.
City's back four had been doing well and they helped in a 67th minute move which saw Platt head over from a Jordan Clarke cross.
The City supporters continued to back the team with "Sky Blue Army" chants but after McSheffrey had fired across the area, the chants changed to calls for Alex Nimely to be brought on.
He was introduced in the 78th minute amid boos from some of the City fans who were clearly unhappy that it was Cody McDonald who tried despite having some poor service, was replaced not the man the support wanted in Platt.
Bristol City made their final change in the 81st minute and Yannick Bolasie had only been on the pitch for a minute when he capitalised on a mistake on the left and beat Murphy.
Thorn sent on Gael Bigirimana just before Brett Pitman was deservedly red-carded for a bad tackle on Jordan Clarke. Thankfully, the Coventry born player was able to continue and pushed up as City went three at the back.
Nimely put in a peach of a cross for Platt to head at Gerken.
Four minutes were added on and in the final minute, another substitute Chris Wood picked up on some more poor defending and scored with a low drive to condemn the Sky Blues to a 3-1 defeat, the club floundering in the relegation zone with four games remaining and a great turn out of City supporters badly let down again.