Coventry City 0-1 Rochdale
City: Lee Burge; Jack Grimmer, Jordan Willis, Dom Hyam, Brandon Mason; Tom Bayliss Michael Doyle; Luke Thomas, Tony Andreu, (Conor Chaplin 55)Jordan Shipley (Reise Allassani 69), Jonson Clarke-Harris (Amadou Bakayoko 76). Subs: Liam O’Brien, Abu Ogogo, Tom Davies, Junior Brown, Conor Chaplin,
Rochdale: Magnus Norman, (Brendan Moore 86), Joe Rafferty, Ryan Delaney, Harrison McGahey, Stephen Dooley, MJ Williams (David Perkins 60), Calvin Andrew ,Callum , Matty Done, Andy Cannon (Ollie Rathbone 80),, Ian Henderson. Subs: Jim McNulty, Aaron Wilbraham, Brendan Moore, Zach Clough, Matty Gillam
ATT 9,879 (303 away),
Goal: Calvin Andrew 46
Coventry's City failed to put away their chances and were beaten 1-0 at home by Rochdale.
September started with a sunny afternoon at the Ricoh Arena as the Sky Blues took on Rochdale.
Mark Robins resisted the temptation to change the team which drew at Gillingham and keeps the same team with loanee, to be a permanent player in January Conor Chaplin on the bench
Rochdale, in a lilac like shirt and shorts were the first to show with a couple of corners, one of which forced Lee Burge to push a Callum Camps drive over the bar.
Rochdale were effective in closing down the City players but the likes of Brendan Mason, Jack Grimmer and Luke Thomas were able to push forwards.
Thomas just missed a cracking cross from Jack Grimmer in the 19th minute and the pair combined again for another shot not far wide of Norman's right hand post a minute later.
A cracking cross led to a corner for City in the 21st minute before Clarke-Harris headed a Grimmer cross wide.
Ian Henderson fired at Burge and Thomas had a shot on the turn either side of the half hour mark.
Tony Andreu had an effort saved in a half of football that was sensibly refereed.
Clarke-Harris missed with another header before the half ended.
Like the first half,. It was the visitors who attacked first, winning a corner. That came over. The City defence stood and Calvin Andrew fired the ball over the line in the opinion of the match officials.
With Rochdale then having more chances including one goal ruled out for offside, Robins opted to give Conor Chaplin his debut in the 55th minute.
In the 61st minute, Jonson Clarke-Harris missed with a free header from a cross and seven minutes, later, Luke Thomas has a left footed effort drive saved for a corner.
Rochdale had the ball in the net again and thankfully again, the flag of the assistant on the main stand side was up.
Luke Thomas rolled a 72nd minute shot wide after a great run.
For the last fourteen minutes, Amadou Bakayoko came on in place of Clarke-Harris and won a corner.
Rochdale's time wasting antics did leave a nasty taste although they were not surprising and the physios from both sides were kept busy including treating the Rochdale keeper Norman for a clash of heads with Chaplin which saw Norman having to be replaced.
Five minutes were added on but City could not find the net and a defeat it was.
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