COVENTRY CITY 1-2 QUEENS PARK RANGERS BY KEV MONKS
A late controversial goal against Queens Park Rangers condemned the Sky Blues to a home defeat and saw them drop to one place above the relegation zone.
With the worst kept secret of the year so far finally bringing Micky Adams back to the club as City's fourth full time manager in fourteen months, there was a new optimism around Highfield Road.
For his third and final match in charge,Adrian Heath who will stay as the club as Adams number two (due to financial reasons and the current unavailability of Trevor Peake), made two changes to the team that had been beaten at Ipswich a week ago.
Back came Bristol City target Louis Carey and he slotted in at right back as Dean Leacock moved to centre half in place of Richard Shaw. Neil Wood was also brought back replacing Isaac Osbourne who like Shaw was not even on the bench.
For QPR boss Ian Holloway, his main concern was the availability of Danny Shittu who had one of the many viruses that seem to be doing the rounds. However,the central defender recovered to get a place in the West Londoners starting eleven and in the third minute, he made a superb tackle to stop Gary McSheffrey as he bore down on the East Stand goal.
On a pitch cut into a chequered pattern, Gareth Ainsworth got round the back of Steve Staunton and drilled in a low seventh minute shot which Luke Steele got down to save.
Three minutes later,QPR attacked again with City reject Paul Furlong winning a corner after he was clearly seen stamping on Michael Doyle and then coming on to the track in front of the West Terrace and acting in an unsporting manner. Much to the disgust of those who saw the incident no action was taken by referee Mark Clattenburg.
Let off by this failure of the official to take action on what is an unnecessary part of the game, the next time,the navy gloved Furlong got a touch to the ball, it was to put QPR ahead.
Rangers won a 12th minute throw, in front of the 1700+ strong following, Richard Edgehill's throw was headed on by Furlong and fell for Jamie Cureton who continued his run of scoring against the Sky Blues by firing low into the net from eight yards.
A glaring miss from Stern John in the 20th minute when he hooked a McSheffrey cross high into the East Stand was atoned for six minutes later, as John controlled the ball before hitting a right footed shot from ten yards which QPR Keeper and Leicester reject Simon Royce dived to his left to push the ball away for a corner.
The visitors who had Davies booked for unsporting behaviour, were quick on the counter attack, playing some crisp passes to assist them in getting forward and in the 35th minute,a throw from Edgehill was not dealt with by Leacock and it fell to Cureton to blast just wide from ten yards.
It was lucky for City that Luke Steele was having a good opening period as the loanee from Manchester United got down to his right to save a 39th minute Ainsworth effort before saving with his feet from Cureton three minutes later.
City were booed off as the players went off at the interval, but with Micky Adams now in the dug-out, Heath made a switch bringing on Dele Adebola for Neil Wood.
The Nigerian who was cheered as he entered the field of play had been on the pitch for ten seconds when he controlled the ball, turned and drove a low effort from eight yard forcing Royce to get down and save.
Whatever was said at the break seemed to be doing the trick as City began to regain their composure and get a hold on the game.
Steele made another save from Ainsworth, City cleared up to McSheffrey who crossed for Adebola to nod goalwards only for Royce to get his hands to the ball.
The Sky Blues continued to press winning a corner and then a 57th minute free kick after a foul by long haired Padula, some twenty five yards out.
Skipper Stephen Hughes took the place kick and rifled a shot which cannoned off a defender and went for a corner. Louis Carey sent over a peach of a kick which was met down by a downward header from Adie Williams and the ball went into the net between the left hand post and a defender.
As chants of "Micky Adams Sky Blue Army, He Hates Leicester" rang round the West Terrace, Adebola and John combined well to get un-nerve the Rangers defence who cleared for Jamie Cureton only for Steele to make a brave save at his feet.
In the 70th minute, a mistake by Hughes let in Cureton who raced down the right before hammering a shot which Steele superbly dived to tip over the bar.
Now Mr Clattenburg was starting to incur the wrath of both sets of supporters. He had punished a reckless tackle from behind on Dele Adebola by Richard Johnson who was wearing a bandage around his head from an earlier clash with a throw-in and in the 73rd minute, City had a corner. The ball was swung over and as Carey put his head down to meet a loose ball some twenty five yards out, Lee Cook put up his boot and made contact with the City defender.
For reasons, known only to himself, he looked at his assistant who gave him a thumbs up which I took to indicate that Cook's kick was not malicious which it was not and then promptly ordered the corner be retaken.
Kevin Gallen was booked in the 76th minute for dissent and four minutes later, the one time England prospect was joined in the book by Gary McSheffrey who retaliated after a tackle by Ainsworth with a shove. Ainsworth was also cautioned for his part.
With the QPR fans intimating that the Coventry support was "sh*t", Ian Holloway made an 81st minute double change with Cureton and Ainsworth replaced by Thorpe and Martin Rowlands.
This was followed by Stern John being replaced by Eddy Johnson and in the 87th minute, Marcus Bignot who is a leading contender to be the next England Women's manager replaced Padula.
In the 89th minute,City who have sold their 3,000 allocation for Newcastle but are hopeful they will have some more on either Monday or Tuesday, had Louis Carey booked for a trip on Rowlands.
People were now starting to make their way out of the ground, thinking that a point each was the reward for ninety minutes effort. Suddenly Rangers who had Bignot booked for time wasting attacked in the third minute of the four added on.
A Paul Furlong shot which Micky Adams and some supporters closer to the action that I was later felt came from an offside position, hit the far post and rolled back.
Luke Steele got a hand to the ball,patted at the ball to get it back off the line before Leacock thumped it away.
Now Mr Clattenburg was on the edge of the penalty area and had a crowd of players in front of him,when the incident occurred.
He indicated that the ball had crossed the line and gave a goal, a correct decision according to some I spoke to after the match.
The City players clearly did not agree with this and surrounded the assistant referee on the Main Stand side who was in line with the action. Dean Leacock was cautioned for dissent as the protests continued.
It was a decision that sparked trouble outside the ground and one that means that City drop to one place above the relegation zone.
Having let in two soft goals late on in the last two league games has not helped the cause and it will have to be a priority of Adams when he takes over on Monday to make sure that these costly errors don't cost the club its Championship place.
HT CCFC 0-1 QPR FT CCFC 0-1 QPR
ATT 16,595
GOALS Jamie Cureton (12 mins)
Adie Williams (58 mins)
Paul Furlong (90 mins)
BOOKED Davies,Gallen,McSheffrey,
Ainsworth,Carey Leacock,Bignot
MAN OF THE MATCH - Luke Steele,Gary McSheffrey and Dele Adebola tied the votes
TEAM
Steele,Leacock,Staunton,Carey,Williams, Hughes,Doyle,Wood (Adebola 46),John, (Johnson 83),McSheffrey,Morrell SNU Shearer,Whing,Jorgensen