Team
Ireland,Grandison (Clarke 49),Borrowdale,Walker (Fraser 74), Turner,Hall,Birchall (Cain 84),Thornton,Kyle,Simmonds (West 84) ,McKenzie
SNU Collett
Nuneaton
Acton,Oddy,Murphy,Noon,Brown,Dean,Collins,Hadland,Thorpe,Ramsey, Nisevic Subs McGrath,Stein,Armson,Edmond
HT NTFC 0-2 CCFC FT NTFC 0-5 CCFC
ATT about 1,000. (800 Cov)
Goals Ben Turner (10),Kevin Kyle (35), Chris Birchall (65 & 71), Donovan Simmonds (83)
Man Of The Match - Jermaine Grandison
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A Coventry City reserve side had an easy victory at Nuneaton Town tonight.
This was the first time that the Sky Blues had visited Liberty Way since the old Nuneaton Borough went into liquidation and were demoted down to the Southern League Midland Division and drew a good crowd of City supporters to Town's out of town, Liberty Way home.
City could have been ahead after one minute and forty seconds when Kevin Kyle, who was booed by some of the City support behind the goal when his name was read out, fired against the bar.
At the other end, a 5th minute mistake by Marcus Hall let in Levi Ramsey but thankfully, his chip went over Danny Ireland's bar.
Hall was soon to make amends and he was involved in the opening goal of the game in the tenth minute. City had won a corner. Hall was at the far post to flick on for Ben Turner to stab the ball into the net.
Right Back Jermaine Grandison looked promising in spells and drew applause from the Sky Blue support which he beat two defenders on the right and delivered a cross which Darren Acton in the Town goal just got to.
2 Jermaine Grandison
On a ground where all the starting eleven bar Leon McKenzie had played reserve team football last season, City revelled in the immaculate pitch and pushed forward through a strong midfield which included the hard working Adam Walker.
Danny Ireland did have to push a Hadland long ranger round the post in the 33rd minute but it was all City and two minutes later, they went further in front.
This time, Leon McKenzie got down the left and sent over a lowish cross. Kevin Kyle stooped and his header from four yards beat Acton on his right hand post.
Chris Birchall then brought the best out of Acton with a rasping thirty yard drive and Kyle headed over as we went into the break.
No changes were made by Steve Ogrizovic and Frankie Bunn at half-time but four minutes into the second half, Academy youngster Jordan Clarke was given a chance to show what he could do.
Clarke got involved straight away by delivering a 54th minute cross. Kevin Kyle went down inside the penalty area. Now those level with the play did not see any contact but referee Mr Hobbis did and awarded City a penalty.
Leon McKenzie stepped up to take the kick but it was not good and Acton only had to inch to his right to save.
In the 65th minute, the City support was celebrating however, as Chris Birchall found space on the right and hit a shot from the right hand side of the penalty area which hit a defender and went into the corner of the net.
7 Chris Birchall
When Kevin Wilkin replaced former Sky Blue Mark Noon, who had been Town's best player, you sensed that the game was over and it was in the 71st minute, thanks to a bad pass by another former City youngster Robert Oddy going straight to Chris Birchall who drove low into the net from 25 yards.
Sean Fraser came on for Adam Walker and in the 83rd minute, the Sky Blues scored their fifth of the evening when Donovan Simmonds was sent on his way and cooly steered the ball past the advancing keeper.
Donovan Simmonds
That was the last of Simmonds who along with Chris Birchall were replaced by Ashley Cain and Matty West.
Two minutes from time, a speculative lob from the 35 yards out Sean Fraser went not far wide of the goal as City, on a warm sunny evening ran out very easy winners.
