LEAMINGTON 1-2  COVENTRY CITY

WED JULY 27 AT The New Windmill, Leamington

TEAM: Dunn, Phillips, Ruffles, Bigirimana, Cameron, McPake, Brennan, Deegan (Richard 43), O’Donovan, Platt (Jeffers 60), Wilson. SNU Burge, Willis 

Leamington: Breeden, Tuohy (Bates 64), Morley, Downes, Mace, Daly, Taylor (Angus 81), Owen (Batchelor 13), Berwick, Sheldon, (Mackey 58), Husband.  

HT LFC 102 CCFC   FT LFC 1-2  CCFC  ATT 724

REFEREE Kevin Andrews  Assistants Mike Bingham & Ian Murphy 

GOALS Callum Wilson (22), Josh Ruffles (28), Tom Berwick (37)

REPORT BY KEV MONKS 

Coventry City’s hard work paid off with a 2-1 victory at Leamington. 

Andy Thorn had hoped to include Ben Turner and Jordan Clarke in the game but with the duo still not available, he gave Clive Platt and Gary Deegan their first pre-season outing and also included trialist Killian Brennan, a midfielder currently playing for Bohemians of Dublin along with James McPake. 

There was a good turn out of City fans in a crowd of 724 and two youngsters, one attending their first ever game was taken into the changing rooms by Steve Harrison to get the autographs of the City team. 

Paul O’Holloran’s team had the first corner of the game but the Sky Blues with Gael Bigirimana (pictured below), the playmaker started to get the ball forward. 

Chris Dunn, is seen as a good shot stopper and he proved that early on dealing with a sixth minute free kick from Sheldon and then two efforts from Taylor. 

James Husband went close, five minutes later, when he got round the back of McPake and his shot just missed the far post by inches. 

Brennan, in his red boots (pictured below) was passing the ball round well and showed some neat touches and helped City win a sixteenth minute corner before O’Donovan tried his luck. As did McPake, with a scissor kick which hit a defender and had the City support appealing for a penalty which Mr Andrews ignored. The loose ball fell to Platt but from six yards, he toe-poked wide of the Harbury Lane goal. 

The reliable Nathan Cameron headed a corner for the home side away before a neat move saw City take a 22^nd minute lead when Platt’s neat lay-off went to the feet of CALLUM WILSON, who created some space before beating the keeper with a low finish.

Leamington came back to force two corners which were cleared thanks to a good block from McPake and a good finger tip save from Dunn.

City went up the other end and Bigirimana picked out JOSH RUFFLES on the left. Ruffles, playing at left back, created space for himself and then coolly beat Breeden with a well hit 28th minute drive.

O’Donovan and Wilson had chances to put City further ahead but in the 37^th minute, the Brakes were awarded a penalty when Alex Taylor went down and TOM BERWICK drilled his spot kick past Dunn.

In the 40^th minute, Gary Deegan went down with what looked like a groin injury and he was replaced by young Academy player Courtney Richards. There was reports that Deegan was ok but the look of frustration on his face told a different story.

Courtney Richards, who linked up well with Bigirimana, had the first chance of the second half and fired wide after good work from Callum Wilson, who was playing in a midfield role and making some good runs forward.

Bigirimana and Phillips both fired wide before Leamington introduced former Sky Blue in Ben Mackey, who is also a local DJ.

On the hour mark, Andy Thorn also made a change with Shaun Jeffers coming on for Clive Platt and this was followed by Leamington bringing on another former Sky Blue and Coventry Sphinx player in Tom Bates.

Birgirimana was running the show in midfield. He was able to pick out Ruffles when he wanted to or the likes of Jeffers and Wilson who fired over after Jeffers had won a corner in the 73^rd minute.

Wilson went wide again before Shaun Jeffers drew a diving save from Breeden who had to dive to his left to push away a shot from the edge of the area. Jeffers turned provider setting up Richards for a header.

Wilson had two more chances and Ben Mackey forced Dunn to concede a corner before a stoppage time header by Jeffers was saved and City won 2-1.

Pictures copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM