16/01/10 At Portman Road. Championship
Team
Westwood, Wright (Gunnarsson 81), McPake, Wood, Cranie, Bell, Clingan, Deegan (Baker 71), McIndoe, Eastwood (Best 68), Morrison SNU Konstantopolous, Barnett, Madine, Hall,
Ipswich
Lee Barrett, Rosenior, McAuley, Delaney, Peters, Norris (Wickham 63), Leadbitter, Garvan (Martin 92), Colbeck, John (Counago 63), Walters SNU McLoughlin, D.Wright, Balkenstein, Edwards
HT ITFC 1-1 CCFC FT ITFC 3-2 CCFC ATT 20,135
Goals Clinton Morrison (3), Stern John (41), Jack Colbeck (51), Richard Wood (90+4), Pablo Counago (90+6)
Referee M. Oliver
Booked Norris, McPake, Morrison, McIndoe, Rosenior.
Man Of The Match David Bell took the votes with nominations for James McPake.
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Coventry City manager Chris Coleman was on the pitch remonstrating with the referee at the end of the game but he along with his assistant Steve Harrison can take their share of the blame for their tactics, which saw the Sky Blues go down to a late defeat at Portman Road.
Many of the Sky Blue Army refused to pay the £31 admission fee or £33.50 on the day for a ground where the facilities for away fans are poor. However, we made our way to Portman Road on a rainy day and took our place in the away end.
Some City supporters, without Coventry addresses, went in the home areas for a much cheaper price whilst the rest of the 300 strong City support which included supporters from Brighton, London, Bridgend, Nottingham, Derby, Northampton, Coventry and Warwickshire.
No sooner had we launched into a ditty advising the Ipswich board that their admission prices were blatantly taking the michael than the Sky Blues, who gave a first start to Gary Deegan and played three at the back in order to pack the midfield, took the lead.
Clinton Morrison got the ball just in the Ipswich half and ran through before hitting a stunning shot past former City Reserve team keeper Arron Lee Barrett.
On Tuesday night, City sat back after taking an early lead and today was more of the same. By giving the ball away to an Ipswich side, that struggled at times to keep the ball in play, City made the going hard for themselves.
One of those rallying to City's cause early on was Stephen Wright. The Scouser had been fouled. We sang "Wrighty's Gonna Get You" only for a police officer to take exception and say that was the name of a local killer of prostitutes and that we were offending Ipswich fans and faced arrest if we were to sing it again. We pointed out to him that Stephen Wright was in fact wearing the number two shirt for City but the officer remained defiant.
None of our number were arrested and all saw City, despite the efforts of David Bell and Richard Wood try to get the Sky Blues going forward.
Gary Deegan did plenty of running around but again struggled with the difference between Championship football and the League Of Ireland.
In the 41st minute, we stood staring at each other, pretty much like the City defence as former Sky Blue Stern John rose to head in unchallenged from twelve yards to get the visitors level.
Nothing surprises me about City playing at Portman Road where our last win came in 1994 and in the 51st minute, City made it so easy for Ipswich to take the lead when they were allowed to attack down the right and cross for Jake Colbeck to stroke the ball past Westwood, who had an off day with his kicking.
A bit of a melee saw Clinton Morrison getting carried away after Jamie Peters shoved James McPake who stood his ground.
In the 62nd, Gary Deegan had City's best chance of drawing level when Lee Barrett pushed over the Irishman's long ranger.
Both managers made changes. The City fans were less than happy when Freddy Eastwood who had chased everything was replaced by Leon Best and then instead of taking off the yellow booted Michael McIndoe who appeared to have a foot injury, Carl Baker came on for Gary Deegan.
With nine minutes left, Coleman made his third change when Aron Gunnarsson replaced the injured Mr Wright in the back three.
There was two minutes left when a poor Westwood kick saw Counago try to walk the ball into the net only to be blocked on the line.
Four minutes of time were added. A Wood cross won a corner and a Gunnarsson throw was so bad it went out for a goal kick.
McIndoe got booked and had some of the disgruntled City support calling for his dismissal but all that was forgotten in the fourth minute when Richard Wood rose and planted a header in the far corner of the net.
We went ballistic but Ipswich went straight up the other end and with Gunnarsson nowhere, Pablo Counago had time and space to pick his spot and beat Westwood, condemning City to a 3-2 defeat.
Chris Coleman, who had a few calling for his head, had a go at the referee on the final whistle but he was not as fuming as the City support that had paid top whack to see Coventry throw away a point.
Top picture Copyright of Covsupport News Service/KM
Middle & Bottom Pictures. Copyright of Action Images. Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Frances Leader Livepic