COVENTRY CITY 2-0 PORTSMOUTH SAT MARCH 24THTH AT Ricoh Arena
City: Murphy, Clarke, Keogh, Cranie, Clingan, Hussey (Christie 78), Thomas (Bigiri,mana 46) McSheffrey, Platt, Nimely, Norwood. Subs Dunn, Deegan, McDonald.
Portsmouth: Ashdown, Ward (Etuthu 62), Rocha, Pearce, Varney, Halford, Allen (Scapuzzi 83), Norris (Futacs 62), Thorn, Maguire, Ben Haim. Subs Harris, Rekik.
HT CCFC 0-0 PFC FT CCFC 2-0 PFC NOTS 15,809
Referee G. Eltringham Assts D. Ford & M. George
Booked Keogh, McSheffrey, Maguire
Goals Gary McSheffrey 54, Oliver Norwood 76
Man Of The Match Jordan Clarke took the votes from Oliver Norwood with nominations for Keogh, Murphy, Hussey and McSheffrey.
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CITY SUPPORT For a game of such importance you would have thought that the Ricoh Arena would have been rammed.
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CITY TEAM: Andy Thorn lost Nathan Cameron to injury and replaced Cody McDonald who had played at Cardiff with Clive Platt. Portsmouth included the two players they had signed on loan from Manchester City on the bench.
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Coventry City eased their relegation fears with a 2-0 victory over Portsmouth.
Today was Legends Day and fifty two former players including the likes of Terry Yorath. Noel Whelan and Marcus Hall, were enthralling a sold out Eon Lounge.
After applause for Fabrice Muamba, the game started with plenty of noise from both sets of fans.
Jordan Clarke made a great tackle before Clingan had a fifth minute free kick pushed away.
Pompey whose support included members of the 2-tone band Orange Street who were perfoming in Coventry tonight, started to create.
McGuire forced Joe Murphy to use his face to get a shot away and Norris had a shot on goal.
Clingan curled a 12th minute free kick over on probably the warmest day of the year so far in Coventry.
Five minutes later, Platt capitalised on a mistake by a defender and won a corner.
As Andy Thorn urged Platt and Nimely to get more involved, Portsmouth had a couple of efforts.
Gael Bigirimana was sent on for the second half. City won two quick corners before Hussey fired at the keeper after a move started by Clarke and aided by a sublime ball from the Championship Apprentice of the year.
Oliver Norwood fired across the goal but in the 54th minute, the City fans were going mad when Chris Hussey sent over a deep ball,which swept home by Gary McSheffrey.
Clingan had a free kick from 23 yards brilliantly pushed over for the first of two corners as the Sky Blues went looking for a second goal.
As the drummer in the away end incessantly banged away, Keogh was harshly booked for a block which led to 66th minute free kick which Murphy pushed Allen's kick onto the post.
City were riding their luck a bit and Luke Varney missed with a header when it was easier to score.
And score was what City did. A great move in the 76th minute, saw Clarke find Nimely who crossed to the far side of the away end goal for Oliver Norwood to thump high into the net.
Chris Hussey limped off with an injury but City had done enough to record a vital win.