COVENTRY CITY 1-2 STOKE CITY BY KEV MONKS
TEAM
Schmeichel, Fox,Dann,Ward,Osbourne, Tabb,Hughes,Doyle,Thornton,Mifsud (Hines 83), Best (Simpson 83) SNU Marshall,Hall,Gray
STOKE CITY
Nash,Griffin (Shawcross 40),Riggott,Cort,Dickinson,Cresswell,Pugh,Delap,Pearson (Lawrence 66),Fuller,Ameobi (Sidibe 25) SNU Sorensen,Bothroyd
HT CCFC 1-0 SCFC FT CCFC 1-2 SCFC ATT 20,249
GOALS Elliott Ward (30), Ricardo Fuller (53), Liam Lawrence (78)
REFEREE U.Rennie
Booked Dann,Doyle,Delap,Lawrence
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STARTING FORMATION
Chris Coleman made two changes from the team that had lost at Watford with Kevin Thornton back in for Julian Gray and Jay Tabb joined him in midfield as Isaac Osbourne moved back to right back, following Richard Duffy's injury.
Tony Pullis, left Jay Bothroyd on the bench and had managed to get Liam Lawrence fit enough to join the former City striker.
Best
Tabb Thornton Doyle S.Hughes Mifsud
Fox Dann Ward Osbourne
Schmeichel
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CITY SUPPORT
For a game which both sides needed to win, 17,000 City supporters plus 3075 Stokies was a pretty poor show. Those there did make plenty of noise however.
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Coventry City remain deep in danger of dropping into League One after losing 2-1 at home to Stoke City.
Having lost at Watford and Barnsley's abililty to do what City couldn't had meant that this was a must win game for the Sky Blues. Against a nervous Stoke side who knew a win could taken them top, the Sky Blues started well.
They attacked the Jewson Stand with relish early on as some supporters moved to get out of the pouring rain. Kevin Thornton along with Tabb, Doyle and contract seeking Stephen Hughes all pushed forward and in the third minute, a cross from Tabb was headed onto the bar by Thornton. Then a Doyle drive forced Carlo Nash into a diving save to his right.
The visitors looked lacklustre up front. So lacklustre that Kasper Schmeichel had nothing more to do than deal with a few kicks away and a couple of catches.
They were forced to replace Shola Ameobi in the 25th minute and five minutes later, found themselves deservedly a goal down. Kevin Thornton ran into the box and was hacked down by Dickinson. The City support appealed, the players appealed and referee Urah Rennie, or "Mr Tight Shorts" for those of you who were at QPR that time,when he was last in charge of a City game, awarded the penalty kick.
Elliott Ward took the kick and slotted home well to give Coventry the lead. The bright sunshine was now warming our bodies and our hearts were happy that the Sky Blues had scored.
In the 39th minute, Jay Tabb who received the South Wales Supporters Club and London Supporters Club Player Of The Year awards after the game, rifled a shot which Nash had to push over for a corner.
Stoke made another change with Ryan Shawcross replacing the injured Andy Griffin as City earned three corners and had a Stephen Hughes stab go wide.
At the half-time interval, whilst a choir from Blue Coats School sang some of more printable non-offensive football songs including a good version of the Sky Blue Song,we checked out the rest of the Championship scores and mused that City needed to get another couple of goals and win this game.
However, in the Stoke dressing room, Tony Pullis was having other ideas. Whether he ranted,cajoled or coaxed, I know not but there was only one team in the second half and it was not the Sky Blues.
Kasper Schmeichel whose kicking today was as appalling as his angles at Watford,had saved smartly from a Fuller shot on the turn when Stoke pushed into the penalty area. Stephen Hughes was amongst City players swinging legs at the ball. Fuller went down and Mr Rennie awarded a penalty.
The former Preston and Portsmouth player made no mistake from the penalty spot at the Jewson Stand end and raced to the Stoke fans to celebrate. Some of the Stokies got a bit carried away with their celebrations and had to be held back by the stewards who were joined by a large police presence.
Both sides conceded pointless fouls which earned them pointless bookings but it is was the visitors who were the more threatening.
Leon Best and Mifsud were almost invisible for most of the game and with this threat snuffed out, City by now were on the back foot.
No sooner had a cheer gone up as news that Leicester were losing to a Kevin Lisbie goal filtered through and a loud chorus of the Sky Blue Song brought the City support back to life, then it was doom and gloom time.
When Pullis brought on Liam Lawrence in the 66th minute, we and talked about the former Sunderland man's prowess in front of goal. Some twelve minutes after coming on, there was Lawrence who fired into an empty net, capitalising on a mistake by Fox who was turned by Fuller, allowing the Jamaican to get in a shot that Schmeichel kicked at and allowed the ball to run to Lawrence.
Stoke had players the class of Sidibe,Shawcross and Lawrence to bring, whilst we had Simpson and Hines,who did plenty of running but lost possession way to easily in the ten minutes they were on.
The Stoke fans celebrated as we fumed over another chance to win a game and starting getting the necessary points on the board had again not been taken.