COVENTRY CITY 2-2 CRAWLEY TOWN
City: Allsop, Willis, Pugh, Webster, Thomas (Coulibaly 77) Fleck, McQuiod (Miller 85), O'Brien, Jackson, Phillips (Clarke 38), Hines. Subs: Burge, Barton, Tudgay, Finch.
Crawley: Ashdown, Oyebanjo, Leacock, Edwards, Smith, McLeod (Harrold 85), Walsh, Keane, Bawling (Young 58), Sadlier, Elliott. Subs Jensen, Bradley, Wright, Banya, Tomlin.
HT CCFC 2-2 CTFC FT CCFC 2-2 CTFC
ATT 7,708
Goals Josh McQuoid 14, Simeon Jackson 27, Gwion Edwards 33, Izaele McLeod 37
Referee G.Salisbury
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Coventry City let a two goal lead slip and took a 2-2 draw from Crawley Town's visit to the Ricoh Arena.
A wet miserable day in Coventry saw the Sky Blues take on Crawley Town at the Ricoh Arena.
The rain had stopped by the time City took to the field with a number of changes in the Sky Blues starting line up including Aaron Phillips in defence with Danny Pugh, Conor Thomas in midfield, and up front, there was Josh McQuoid back after his concussion.
There was a poor crowd at the Ricoh Arena of 7,708, the lowest for a first team league game at the Ricoh Arena since City moved there in 2005, not helped by the prices and a myriad of other reasons, but those here saw John Fleck get through and strike Jamie Ashdown's left hand post with a drive after 65 seconds.
Two minutes later and Josh McQuoid rifled in a shot which deflected for the first of two corners.
Crawley, who included Dean Leacock, started to come back before conceding a 14th free klck from Jim O'Brien, which Ashdown could only push into the path of Josh McQuoid who tapped in to put City ahead.
It was a much needed goal, the first in three games and seemed to lift the Sky Blues managed by Steven Pressley, today in a red hoodie and black shorts, who were playing some of the best football they had done in a while.
City had a 20th minute corner and had McQuoid fire over and then the loanee from Bournemouth headed over a 25th minute O'Brien cross.
Just over a minute and it was two when Simeon Jackson got the ball on the right and slipped it past Ashdown and into the bottom corner of the net.
In the 33rd minute, Crawley, who brought with them 140 according to my quick head account or 240 if you prefer the official figures,pulled a goal back when the City defence stood and watched Gwion Edwards curl a shot past Allsop on his weak left hand side and then it was 2-2 when the very same defence allowed Izaele McLeod, a player, one of my best mates has been calling for City to sign for years, was allowed to again slip the ball past Allsop on his left from six yards.
Aaron Phillips had picked up a shoulder injury about fifteen minutes before and was forced off to be replaced by Jordan Clarke.
Crawley also had Jimmy Smith go down injured. The emergency responders came on and looked at Smith, who was given the ok to resume.
City won a corner and had Pugh toe poke at Ashdown as the half came to an end after four minutes of stoppage time.
Both sides had early chances with Jordan Clarke having City effort in the 50th minute when he fired over, before Josh McQuoid drilled a shot wide in the 55th minute.
McQuoid had another go on goal in the 64th minute and City won a couple of corners but the promise they had shown in the early parts of the first half had gone and now this game was seeing the City support become increasingly frustrated.
Pressley took Conor Thomas off before he was sent was off and sent on Mo Coulibaly for the last thirteen minutes.
The Sky Blues won a corner at the North Stand end and had Coulibaly plus McQuoid deliver a ball that just missed Danny Pugh at the far post, which was followed by a long ranger from O'Brien going into the sky blue seats behind the goal.
Getting Pugh to pump long balls forward was pointless, so playing them along the deck to Coulibaly was a better option for the Sky Blues who had Shaun Miller on for the last five minutes.
With three left, Coulibaly showed his clumsy side and was cautioned.
Smith had a late surging run and Miller could not get the touch he wanted as the game petered out into a draw.