SWANSEA CITY 0-0 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
Team
Westwood, Hall, Wright, Ward, Turner, Simpson (McKenzie 59), Gunnarsson, Doyle, Mifsud (Best 77), Morrison (Beuzelin 83), Eastwood.
SNU Marshall,Wynter
Swansea
De Vries, Williams, Tate, Monk, Rangel, Britton, Pratley, Gomez, Allen (Pintado 58), Butler (Gower 81), Scotland. SNU Serran,Brandy,Orlandi
HT SCFC 0-0 CCFC FT SCFC 0-0 CCFC
Att 17,603
Ref S.Tanner
Booked Butler,Wright,Gunnarsson,Westwood
Man Of The Match Stephen Wright took all the votes in our car.
_______________
STARTING LINE UP
Jay Tabb and Danny Fox travelled with the squad but picked up bugs and were sent home. Michael Doyle and Marcus Hall replaced them with Guilly Beuzelin and Curtis Wynter on the bench.
___________
GROUND
A smaller version of the Ricoh Arena. This concrete bowl is also home to the Ospreys Rugby team and situated in the Landore area of Swansea.
________________________
Coventry City's third visit to Wales on a Boxing Day ended like the previous two with Coventry unbeaten.
Unfortunately, the previous two matches ended in a 3-3 draw and a 2-1 win but today, City took the share of the spoils with a 0-0 draw at Swansea City.
With little traffic on the roads, we made the 165 mile trek from Cov in less than three hours on a sunny but cold day for the Sky Blues first ever visit to the Liberty Stadium.
Chris Coleman, who was well received by the home support, lost Danny Fox and the wantaway Jay Tabb to illness before the game which started after the Jacks had entered the pitch to the tune of "White Riot" by The Clash.
Playing 4-4-2, the Sky Blues showed they had come with a game plan that was firstly to contain the Swans and then try and snatch something on the counter attack.
City spent most of the first half under pressure. With the ball being lost every time it got up front or to the feet of Robbie Simpson, the black shirted Coventry back four had to be on their guard.
Tom Butler was a threat on the left for the home side who managed fourteen passes in the fourteenth minute before Stephen Wright cleared.
Keiren Westwood again, was solid between the sticks and the keeper did well in the 16th minute when palmed over a Butler volley.
Tate hit the side netting before a chant of "Come On City" from the 721 City supporters behind the goal boomed out.
It did provoke Coventry into their first shot of the match when Eastwood's low drive was pushed away by De Vries,who is keeping Dimi Konstantoplous out of Swansea's first team.
The usual anti English songs from the fans to our left, a bit further down from where there was a union flag with "Swansea City" on it, continued, as Westwood dived to his right to save from Gomez, who promptly ran into the area and fell down with all the grace he displayed at the Ricoh Arena a month ago.
With the discipline of diving revealed, a section of "fans" decided that it was time to display their talent for throwing and disgracing the decent Swansea support. It was coins that was aimed at Michael Doyle in the 53rd minute as he came over to take a corner.
A number of coins were picked up by the Irishman (I counted three), who gave them to the assistant referee, and in turn handed them over to Mr Tanner.
The referee, then marched over to the safety officer to deposit said coins before jotting something in his notebook and restarting play.
Both sides went for a change. There had been chants of 'Leon' from the SBA before Leon McKenzie came on to good applause.
Swansea started to threaten but Turner,Hall and Wright all made some good blocks with Elliott Ward hoofing away anything that came near him.
A 61st minute City corner saw De Vries beat Morrison to the ball but by now the City support were growing restless, waiting for the Sky Blues to get that one break to score and attain the victory that they were more than capable of, if the players showed a bit more determination when going forward.
It was Swansea who have become something of a draw specialist of late, who looked more likely to score.
Westwood denied Scotland by using his body to good effect before a 73rd minute corner hit the inside of the City keeper's right hand post.
City broke from this through Eastwood. We rose to our feet but like the Swansea forwards, his scoring boots were at home rather than on his feet and he dragged his effort wide of the goal.
Leon Best also came on to good applause, only to snub the City support on the final whistle,despite being invited to clap by Leon McKenzie. With seven to go, Guilluame Beuzelin, was also introduced.
The Frenchman, who needs an operation, got in a couple of good tackles but could not stop Gower getting past him and eventually getting in an 87th minute shot which Westwood pushed away.
In recent games, we have been thankful to late saves from Keiren Westwood. Deep in the four minutes of stoppage time, a lovely drive from Leon Britton saw Westwood dive to his left and make a catch to ensure City left with a point that most of us would have taken before the game.
Team
Westwood, Hall, Wright, Ward, Turner, Simpson (McKenzie 59), Gunnarsson, Doyle, Mifsud (Best 77), Morrison (Beuzelin 83), Eastwood.
SNU Marshall,Wynter
Swansea
De Vries, Williams, Tate, Monk, Rangel, Britton, Pratley, Gomez, Allen (Pintado 58), Butler (Gower 81), Scotland. SNU Serran,Brandy,Orlandi
HT SCFC 0-0 CCFC FT SCFC 0-0 CCFC
Att 17,603
Ref S.Tanner
Booked Butler,Wright,Gunnarsson,Westwood
Man Of The Match Stephen Wright took all the votes in our car.
_______________
STARTING LINE UP
Jay Tabb and Danny Fox travelled with the squad but picked up bugs and were sent home. Michael Doyle and Marcus Hall replaced them with Guilly Beuzelin and Curtis Wynter on the bench.
___________
GROUND
A smaller version of the Ricoh Arena. This concrete bowl is also home to the Ospreys Rugby team and situated in the Landore area of Swansea.
________________________
Coventry City's third visit to Wales on a Boxing Day ended like the previous two with Coventry unbeaten.
Unfortunately, the previous two matches ended in a 3-3 draw and a 2-1 win but today, City took the share of the spoils with a 0-0 draw at Swansea City.
With little traffic on the roads, we made the 165 mile trek from Cov in less than three hours on a sunny but cold day for the Sky Blues first ever visit to the Liberty Stadium.
Chris Coleman, who was well received by the home support, lost Danny Fox and the wantaway Jay Tabb to illness before the game which started after the Jacks had entered the pitch to the tune of "White Riot" by The Clash.
Playing 4-4-2, the Sky Blues showed they had come with a game plan that was firstly to contain the Swans and then try and snatch something on the counter attack.
City spent most of the first half under pressure. With the ball being lost every time it got up front or to the feet of Robbie Simpson, the black shirted Coventry back four had to be on their guard.
Tom Butler was a threat on the left for the home side who managed fourteen passes in the fourteenth minute before Stephen Wright cleared.
Keiren Westwood again, was solid between the sticks and the keeper did well in the 16th minute when palmed over a Butler volley.
Tate hit the side netting before a chant of "Come On City" from the 721 City supporters behind the goal boomed out.
It did provoke Coventry into their first shot of the match when Eastwood's low drive was pushed away by De Vries,who is keeping Dimi Konstantoplous out of Swansea's first team.
The usual anti English songs from the fans to our left, a bit further down from where there was a union flag with "Swansea City" on it, continued, as Westwood dived to his right to save from Gomez, who promptly ran into the area and fell down with all the grace he displayed at the Ricoh Arena a month ago.
With the discipline of diving revealed, a section of "fans" decided that it was time to display their talent for throwing and disgracing the decent Swansea support. It was coins that was aimed at Michael Doyle in the 53rd minute as he came over to take a corner.
A number of coins were picked up by the Irishman (I counted three), who gave them to the assistant referee, and in turn handed them over to Mr Tanner.
The referee, then marched over to the safety officer to deposit said coins before jotting something in his notebook and restarting play.
Both sides went for a change. There had been chants of 'Leon' from the SBA before Leon McKenzie came on to good applause.
Swansea started to threaten but Turner,Hall and Wright all made some good blocks with Elliott Ward hoofing away anything that came near him.
A 61st minute City corner saw De Vries beat Morrison to the ball but by now the City support were growing restless, waiting for the Sky Blues to get that one break to score and attain the victory that they were more than capable of, if the players showed a bit more determination when going forward.
It was Swansea who have become something of a draw specialist of late, who looked more likely to score.
Westwood denied Scotland by using his body to good effect before a 73rd minute corner hit the inside of the City keeper's right hand post.
City broke from this through Eastwood. We rose to our feet but like the Swansea forwards, his scoring boots were at home rather than on his feet and he dragged his effort wide of the goal.
Leon Best also came on to good applause, only to snub the City support on the final whistle,despite being invited to clap by Leon McKenzie. With seven to go, Guilluame Beuzelin, was also introduced.
The Frenchman, who needs an operation, got in a couple of good tackles but could not stop Gower getting past him and eventually getting in an 87th minute shot which Westwood pushed away.
In recent games, we have been thankful to late saves from Keiren Westwood. Deep in the four minutes of stoppage time, a lovely drive from Leon Britton saw Westwood dive to his left and make a catch to ensure City left with a point that most of us would have taken before the game.