Team
Schmeichel,Osbourne,Dann,Fox,Ward,Doyle,Tabb,S.Hughes,Thornton (Gray 64),Mifsud (Simpson 80),Best SNU Marshall,Borrowdale,Duffy
Southampton
R.Wright,J.Wright,Thomas,Powell,Vignal, Viafara,Safri,Euell,Licka,Pericard (Wright-Phillips 70),John Subs Davis,Hammal, Surman,Ostlund
HT SFC 0-0 CCFC FT SFC 0-0 CCFC
Ref C.Penton Booked Hughes,Best,Ward
Att 22 014
Man Of The Match Elliott Ward took the votes from Stephen Hughes
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STARTING LINE UP
Chris Coleman kept the same team again with loanee extraordinare Richard Duffy on the bench .
Nigel Pearson included former Sky Blues Youseff Safrio and Stern John.
Best
Tabb Doyle Thornton Hughes Mifsud
Fox Dann Ward Osbourne
Schmeichel
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CITY SUPPORT
An excellent turn out of 1600 City supporters. Travellers came from as far as Switzerland with a lot of our Southern based supporters in attendance. Others included supporters from South Wales,Manchester and Sheffield
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GROUND
Probably the last ground to be built in a town or city centre. Another stadium in a bowl design but well built nonetheless.
Match ticket price was artificially high due to bus journies being included, but there are plenty of places to park within easy walking distance.
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In a game billed as a vital six pointer,all the City support can take from this 0-0 draw at Southampton,was that they did not get beat.
Chris Coleman kept the same team that had drawn with Sheffield Wednesday on a sunny,then sleety afternoon at St Marys.
Those watching in a 22,014 gate could have been mistaken in thinking that this was an end of season game with both sides safe for another season.
Granted there were a few meaty challenges early on but,that was it.
Neither side had any idea in the final third and most of the play was in the middle third of the field.
Coventry had two corners in the first twenty five minutes before Nigel Pearson's side started to gain the upper hand.
The well booed Stern John, (Leon Best received the same treatment from Saints supporters), had the first real chance flashing wide in the 25th minute.
The other former Sky Blues in the Southampton side, Youseff Safri,who got some good applause,flashed wide seven minutes.
With their only striker being marked by the whole of a massive back four and Michael Mifsud again ineffective, City had to rely on their midfielders to have shots on goal.
Kevin Thornton showed plenty of energy as did Jay Tabb but lacked any cutting edge whilst Michael Doyle and Stephen Hughes made some good tackles.
It was the latter who tried his luck in the 37th minute but it was a powerless strike and Richard Wright was easily able to pick the ball up.
Two minutes later, Elliott Ward made the defensive block of the game to get rid of a Safri effort for a corner.
On the stroke of half time,Kasper Schmeichel was called upon to make his first save of the game when he got down to a Viafara drive.
At the break,Southampton had a parade of former players to mark the erecting of a statue for Ted Bates outside their Main Stand. The City support showed their respect for these players which included Mike Channon with some good applause.
In to the second half and both sets of supporters found their voices to try and lift their teams. With the home fans either side of the City following, there was plenty of banter and abuse.
It was all reasonably good natured and had its funny moments especially when a 'hoodie' was put in his place by a steward along with a Vicky Pollard type towards the front of the Main Stand.
Schmeichel, early on was the busier of the keepers but was not overtly tested.
Coleman sent on Julian Gray and Robbie Simpson to try and change the game. Gray got a few boos from a handful of the City support but nowhere as bad as when Bradley Wright Phillips was brought on in the 70th minute.
In the 86th minute,the Sky Blues created their best chance of the match when a neat one two sent Isaac Osbourne forward.
The Young Player Of The Year for last season hit a right footed shot which Wright superbly palmed away for a corner and the game finished goalless.
Thankfully, Leicester were beat and Sheffield Wednesday conceded a very late goal to draw with Palace and in the words of Nigel Pearson after the game: "Both sides live to fight another day".