COVENTRY CITY RESERVES 0-0 LEICESTER CITY BY KEV MONKS
Good did not triumph over evil as City Reserves could only manage a draw against Leicester City.
On a bitterly cold night, Steve Ogrizovic named a strong side that saw Andy Whing in his first game back from injury and Eddy Johnson,Craig Pead,Dean Leacock and Patrick Suffo all given a run out.
The opposition, who wore their black away strip,necessitating the referee Martin Harris to wear green and Scott Shearer to wear a yellow top of which club's choosing I'm not too sure and fielded a young plus former England keeper Ian Walker and Northern Irish international Tommy Wright.
On a bitterly cold night and in front of a crowd of around 70 that included Luton boss Mike Newall,scouts from Charlton and Notts County,former Academy boss Richard Money and a handful of supporters from a city that would give anything to have as much heritage or importance as Coventry, the visitors forced a fourth minute corner the ball fell to Wright and Isaac Osbourne who like Dean Leacock was wearing the number five shirt cleared off the line.
The visitors won two free kicks in relatively quick succession thanks to Aaron Butcher conning the referee as he fell over in front of Andy Whing. They won a third in the 15th minute which Eric Deloumeaux put out for a corner.
Although the likes of Andy Hall at left back,Graham Barrett,Deloumeaux Eddy Johnson,Patrick Suffo,Thornton and Craig Pead were working hard whilst Whing,Leacock and Osbourne controlled the back line, City did not create a single chance in the first half.
The only talking point of a dire first half came in time added on when Scott Shearer was cautioned for taking the ball outside of his area. Butcher took the free kick,the ball was knocked forward and fell for Wright who was clearly in an offside position. The Assistant Referee on the terrace side had been slow all game gave nothing. Wright who was ten yards out hit a right footed shot which Shearer did very well to save with his legs.
Coventry started the second period a lot bright with an Andy Hall cross cum shot being punched for a corner by Walker with only twenty seconds gone.
It was another fifteen minutes before City created another worthwhile chance,when a cross from Whing was met by an eight yard overhead kick from Graham Barrett which went into the net but was ruled out for offside.
In the 64th minute, a lovely bit of skill from Patrick Suffo saw him find Eddy Johnson who spotted Kevin Thornton who raced through only to send his effort well askew of the target.
Now amidst all the City supporters anger over the badge which the club launched today,there was also talk of who would become the new first team manager and in walked the temporary manager Adrian Heath who is rumoured to be a strong contender due to the fact that he is already on the Sky Blue pay roll and would save them a few quid on appointing a new manager who might want backroom staff plus players.
The former Sheffield United and Burnley boss went straight to the bench, spoke to Steve Ogrizovic who had picked up a knock and before telling the supporters close to the dug-out that he was a traditionalist when it came to badges.
Something not in keeping with Chief Executive Graham Hover who told a supporter at the game that mentioned this unwarranted new badge, "That they should move with the times."
Leicester replaced Ian Walker with keeper Conrad Logan who was involved straight away getting down to save an Eddy Johnson shot.
Graham Barrett fired over from ten yards before Eddy Johnson was cautioned in the 72nd minute for quite rightly protesting at another appalling decision by Mr Harris.
City were now the better side and a minute later, almost wrapped up what would have been a deserved victory when Graham Barrett nipped through got past Logan and hit the ball towards the goal.
With the ball now just a foot or so from the goal-line Richard Scarman got back and cleared the danger.
Dean Leacock had picked up a slight knock on his ankle and was replaced by Liam Nicell. Leacock assure Heath,he was ok before Heath left the ground.
It may have been a brief visit from the caretaker manager but was something appreciated by those who saw him there,something his predecessor missed out on.
With ten minutes left, Stephen Dawson was lucky not to have been sent off for a shove on Eddy Johnson who challenged him for the ball inside the penalty area. Dawson who had been quite through in some of his tackles on Johnson, received a yellow card.
City won three corners before Mr Harris blew the final whistle and allowed us to get back into the warm.
HT CCFC 0-0 LCFC FT CCFC 0-0 LCFC
Att 70
Booked Shearer, Johnson,Dawson
Man Of The Match - Andy Hall just picked up the votes from Andy Whing and Craig Pead.
CITY
Shearer,Whing,Hall,Deloumeaux,Leacock (Nicell 75),Osbourne,Barrett,Pead,Johnson, Suffo,Thornton. SNU Reid,Tuffey,Barry,Bains
Leicester
Walker (Logan 68),Canero,Franklin,Dawson, Stearman,Sheehan,Butcher (Muggleton 63), Wykes,Wright,Dodds (Graham 63), Porter SNU O'Grady,Lycett