WATFORD RESERVES 3-1 COVENTRY CITY RESERVES BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City's miserable record of not being able to beat sides bottom of the league continued with City Reserves crashing to a 3-1 defeat at Watford.
With Watford's pitch at Vicarage Road having been churned up by the Saracens versus London Irish rugby game yesterday, Watford switched the game to Boreham Wood FC.
Thankfully,old habits die hard with me and I'd checked with Watford first to ascertain the correct venue before we set off down the M1/M25/A1 to this Hertfordshire enclave.
Alan Cork back from his break in Southern Spain and who had been linked with the vacant managers job at Mansfield, had Kevin Thornton back from suspension whilst the Hornets fielded former England international Les Ferdinand.
City had the best of the early play with Craig Reid firing just wide after some excellent approach play from Liam Davis in the ninth minute.
Davis was proving a handful down the left whilst Thornton and Gooding kept the pressure on the home side.
In the 23rd minute,City took the lead. Kevin Thornton played Liam Davis in down the left. Davis got to the byline,rifled a low ball across the face of the goal. The ball hit Jordan Parkes and went into the net.
Thornton had curled a delightful effort onto the bar from the edge of the area before Chris Sanna in the Watford goal pulled off a stunning save in the 33rd minute to deny Paul Watson from a free kick.
Craig Reid was industrious up front and was unlucky not to have put City further ahead in the 38th minute when Sanna superbly saved with his feet.
Just before the break,Les Ferdinand became the second caution of the game for clattering Kevin Thornton.
The good football from the Sky Blues continued as the second half commenced.
On the hour mark and much to the disgust of the 15 strong City support,Adrian Mariappa laughably went down in the penalty area and referee Chris Sarginson awarded the Hornets a penalty kick. Les Ferdinand beat Tuffey from the spot.
Coventry City's miserable record of not being able to beat sides bottom of the league continued with City Reserves crashing to a 3-1 defeat at Watford.
With Watford's pitch at Vicarage Road having been churned up by the Saracens versus London Irish rugby game yesterday, Watford switched the game to Boreham Wood FC.
Thankfully,old habits die hard with me and I'd checked with Watford first to ascertain the correct venue before we set off down the M1/M25/A1 to this Hertfordshire enclave.
Alan Cork back from his break in Southern Spain and who had been linked with the vacant managers job at Mansfield, had Kevin Thornton back from suspension whilst the Hornets fielded former England international Les Ferdinand.
City had the best of the early play with Craig Reid firing just wide after some excellent approach play from Liam Davis in the ninth minute.
Davis was proving a handful down the left whilst Thornton and Gooding kept the pressure on the home side.
In the 23rd minute,City took the lead. Kevin Thornton played Liam Davis in down the left. Davis got to the byline,rifled a low ball across the face of the goal. The ball hit Jordan Parkes and went into the net.
Thornton had curled a delightful effort onto the bar from the edge of the area before Chris Sanna in the Watford goal pulled off a stunning save in the 33rd minute to deny Paul Watson from a free kick.
Craig Reid was industrious up front and was unlucky not to have put City further ahead in the 38th minute when Sanna superbly saved with his feet.
Just before the break,Les Ferdinand became the second caution of the game for clattering Kevin Thornton.
The good football from the Sky Blues continued as the second half commenced.
On the hour mark and much to the disgust of the 15 strong City support,Adrian Mariappa laughably went down in the penalty area and referee Chris Sarginson awarded the Hornets a penalty kick. Les Ferdinand beat Tuffey from the spot.
This proved to be the turning point in the game. Ferdinand was replaced by Toumani Diagouraga straight after the goal and four minutes later,Diagouraga had put the side bottom of the league ahead with a stunning curler that gave Tuffey no chance.
Cork made two changes with Vijay Sidhu and Aza Ogarro coming on. But it was to no avail as in the 75th minute,a Joel Grant effort took a wicked deflection off one of his own players and flew into the net.
With two minutes left, a rasping Davis drive was superbly pushed away for a corner by Sanna.
Watson sent over a free kick in the last minute of normal time but yet again a poor second half cost the Sky Blues.
HT WFC 0-1 CCFC
FT WFC 3-1 CCFC
ATT 85
Goals
Jordan Parkes og (23), Les Ferdinand (60 pen) ,Diagouraga (65)
Grant (75)
Booked
Junior Osbourne (22),Les Ferdinand (41).Kevin Thornton (85)
MOM
Liam Davis with a nomination for Thornton.
CITY
Tuffey,Watson.Wall,Osbourne,Lynch,Impey,Thornton (Bains 85),Gooding (Ogarro 75),Davis,Reid (Sidhu 70),Savage Subs Belford,Layfield
Watford
Sanna,Osborne,Parkes,Gill,Griffiths,Mariappa,Grant,Bangura,Ferdinand (Diagouraga 61) ,Francis,Bardle Subs Beasant,Sietes,Campana,O'Ceariill
Cork made two changes with Vijay Sidhu and Aza Ogarro coming on. But it was to no avail as in the 75th minute,a Joel Grant effort took a wicked deflection off one of his own players and flew into the net.
With two minutes left, a rasping Davis drive was superbly pushed away for a corner by Sanna.
Watson sent over a free kick in the last minute of normal time but yet again a poor second half cost the Sky Blues.
HT WFC 0-1 CCFC
FT WFC 3-1 CCFC
ATT 85
Goals
Jordan Parkes og (23), Les Ferdinand (60 pen) ,Diagouraga (65)
Grant (75)
Booked
Junior Osbourne (22),Les Ferdinand (41).Kevin Thornton (85)
MOM
Liam Davis with a nomination for Thornton.
CITY
Tuffey,Watson.Wall,Osbourne,Lynch,Impey,Thornton (Bains 85),Gooding (Ogarro 75),Davis,Reid (Sidhu 70),Savage Subs Belford,Layfield
Watford
Sanna,Osborne,Parkes,Gill,Griffiths,Mariappa,Grant,Bangura,Ferdinand (Diagouraga 61) ,Francis,Bardle Subs Beasant,Sietes,Campana,O'Ceariill