SCUNTHORPE UNITED 0-2 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
Date 27/11/10 At Glanford Park
Team
Westwood, Keogh, Wood, Cameron, McPake, Gunnarsson (Clarke 89), McSheffrey (90+1), Carsley,Doyle, King (Jutkiewicz 86), Platt. SNU Ireland, Bell, Cranie, Baker.
Scunthorpe
Murphy, Nolans, Byrne, Jones, McNulty, N'Guessan, J. Wright (Thompson 74), McDonald,O'Connor, Sears (Dagnall 65).
SNU Slocombe, A.Wright, Togwell, Godden, McClenham
HT SUFC 0-1 CCFC FT SUFC 0-2 CCFC ATT 4,397
Goals Gary McSheffrey (30), Joe Murphy Own Goal (72)
Referee C.Pawson Booked McPake
Man Of The Match James McPake took the votes in our car.
Coventry City earned their first ever league victory at Glanford Park with a 2-0 victory over Scunthorpe United.
After news came through that the game was on, we left a snowy Coventry and headed off to Lincolnshire. We met some friends who live close to Glanford Park and enjoyed their hospitality before heading over to the home of Scunthorpe after a swifter to keep out the cold and caught up with many more friends in the 561 strong City support that included a hen party.
Aidy Boothroyd made only one change for the game and brought back Aron Gunnarsson to replace Carl Baker whilst Scunthorpe fielded former City loanee Freddie Sears.
The forward on loan from West Ham was abused by the City support, who had failed to be impressed with Sears' efforts in a Coventry shirt last season, from the start of a game on a bitterly cold afternoon and on a pitch which was not conducive to on the deck football.
The noise from the City support was excellent and included some banter with the keeper Joe Murphy in front of us, who chuckled at a chant of "Westwood's Number Two" and one of "You'll Never Play For Ireland."
Murphy was the busier of the keepers early on with a McSheffrey shot blocked by the defence who then watched Lee Carsley and McSheffrey again both fire over.
Scunthorpe, were as equally adept as the Sky Blues at hoofing it forward but today, it was to no avail as James McPake and Nathan Cameron were dealing with every bouncing ball, whilst left back Richard Wood had Freddie Sears in his back pocket.
The Sky Blue Song and plenty of other ditties were booming out of the away end, as City looked to get at The Irons at every opportunity.
Carsley, drove across the area from a 16th minute corner which led to three more before Marlon King smashed a McSheffrey through ball in the end where the City fans were housed.
On the half hour mark, City deservedly took the lead when Marlon King had a shot on the right of the area blocked. The loose ball came over to GARY MCSHEFFREY, who from seven yards drove the ball past Murphy into the net. As the City fans went ballistic, McSheffrey's goal celebration involved the playful throwing of a snowball at his team-mates.
Platt, who again won most of his headers against Steve Bould or Paul Dyson lookalike Rob Jones, rose to win a corner, which eventually was sent wide by McSheffrey from twenty yards.
Four minutes before half-time, Platt went even closer when he got up to head over the advancing Murphy. The ball came towards the goal but at the last second, Jones got back to clear.
City were back on the attack straight from the restart of the second half with the hard-working Gunnarsson having a shot saved and Doyle, who offered plenty, firing the rebound wide.
Scunthorpe had their ten minutes. They won four corners but there was no way past the robust City defence who kept their calm and did what they had to do.
The noise from the City support continued with some massive Sky Blue Songs and the Your Dads Your Mum chant lasting for close to ten minutes.
Scunthorpe took off Sears who done absolutely nothing and replaced him with Dagnall but it was to no avail as in the 72nd minute, City wrapped up the match with a second goal.
Richard Keogh sent a ball over. It eventually came to Marlon King who turned and hit a shot inside the area, which hit the left hand post and went in off JOE MURPHY. As the goal was up the other end from us, there was some around me who thought King had scored and didn't celebrate.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion but the goal meant that City were able to give run outs to Jutkiewicz, Clarke and Eastwood and celebrate on the final whistle led by James McPake a victory which moves City up to fifth.