FLEETWOOD TOWN FC 0-2 COVENTRY CITY FC
City: Burge, Willis, Pennington, Martin, Stokes (Webster 89), Ward, Fleck, Samuel, Barton (Odelusi 73), Nouble. Tudgay (O'Brien 54). Subs; C.Thomas, Turgott. Finch, Charles-Cook.
Fleetwood: Maxwell, McLaughlin, Murdoch (Sarcevic 73), Roberts, Pond, Evans (Dobbie 91) Schumacher, Morris, Chicksen, Proctor, McAlinden (Hunter 73). Subs: Forbes, Moore, Ball, Crainey.
HT FTFC 0-0 CCFC FT FTFC 0-2 CCFC
ATT 3017
Goals Dominic Samuel 87, Frank Nouble 94
Referee P.Bankes. Booked Schumacher, Hunter
-----------------
Coventry City left it late to snatch a 2-0 win at Fleetwood Town.
The fixture that City supporters (and the Fleetwood Board) wanted on a Saturday finally arrived and brought a trip to Fleetwood Town for the dedicated few to see the Sky Blues first ever League visit to Highbury, about seven miles north of central Blackpool.
Those who got here by train, car, coach, bus, tram or taxi including the City support who took over the Strawberry pub owned by Syd Little of Little and Large fame, plus one from Denmark with travellers from as far away as Kent, London and Southampton , saw Tony Mowbray keep the same side that had won at Chesterfield on Saturday.
City in their sky blue kit, taking on a Fleetwood side in an Arsenal kit, (what do you expect from a team who play at Highbury, were on the attack early through Adam Barton won a seventh minute corner.
Defending when they needed to, with the back four looking solid, City started to build against a side managed by Canley kid Graham Alexander, who maintained his stance of being proud to come from Cov to a City supporter before kick off.
Two more corners for City were followed a 19th minute corner that Burge easily caught.
Two minutes later and Burge caught a Chicksen shot and another two minutes later, Pennington cleared for a corner.
With Tim Fisher sat behind the press box, watching on, Dominic Samuel fired in a shot in the 32nd minute that Moxwell pushed away for a corner.
Josh Morris blasted over at the other end as the home side started to find some form. That forced Arron Martin had to head off his line following a 36th minute corner and Chicksen to blast high over the bar towards some of the City support in the Percy Ronson terrace.
At the other end, Marcus Tudgay should have done better than give a 39th minute ball back to Chris Maxwell in front of the Cod Army, who were making as much noise as the City support.
Fleetwood looking quite fired up for this game, won a corner and a free kick before the half ended and gave Neil MacFarlane who had been stood up shouting instructions whilst Tony Mowbray sat on the bench, plenty to talk about at the break.
Whatever was said seemed to do the trick as the Sky Blues were far more positive from the first whistle of Peter Bankes in the second half.
Two minutes and forty seconds in and Frank Nouble curled just wide for a City side, which had the former Ipswich player on the left and Grant Ward doing a good job in midfield.
A 51st minute corner to City on a night which was getting colder by the minute, was followed by a Tudgay shot at Maxwell.
Tudgay picked up a knock, which looked to be a hamstring injury and in the 54th minute, Jim O'Brien, minus his beard, was sent on.
On the hour mark, Proctor had a shot blocked for a corner against a City team struggling to find the fluency they had at Chesterfield.
Fleck drove low and O'Brien charged a ball down before Fleetwood won a corner and had Proctor fire wide.
In the 70th minute, Stokes raced to hit a shot which Maxwell pushed away for a corner. That was met by Arron Martin but his header bounced off the bar.
Three minutes later and Odelusi came on for Barton and Fleetwood made it a double change.
A poor Fleetwood side who were there for the taking, won a 77th minute corner watched by what was announced as a magnificent 3017 of which 359 were City fans and two minutes from time, it was those City fans who were celebrating when Dominic Samuel got through on the left, took the ball on his right and slipped it past Maxwell.
Stokes went off with cramp in stoppage time and in the dying seconds of the five minutes added on, Frank Nouble made the most of a mistake, avoided Maxwell clattering him and scored after the ball hit the post to give City a 2-0 win and three more points to help the Sky Blues keep out of the relegation zone.
This match report is dedicated to the memory of Maurice Cutler, who sadly passed away today.