COVENTRY CITY 2-0 PORTSMOUTH BY KEV MONKS
Date 07/08/10 At The Ricoh Arena
Team
Westwood, Keogh, Cranie, Cameron, Turner, Bell (Baker 76), Carsley, Doyle, McSheffrey, Eastwood, Jutkiewicz (Platt 72) SNU Quirke, Clingan, McPake, O'Donovan, Wood
Portsmouth
Ashdown, Mokana,Richie, Wilson, Mullins, Nugent, Brown, Utaka (Gregory 82), Smith, Hughes (Ciftci 72), Sonko SNU O'Brien, Pack
HT CCFC 1-0 PFC FT CCFC 2-0 PFC ATT 18,814
Referee Andy D'Urso
Goals Freddy Eastwood (3, 69) Booked Utaka, Turner.
Man Of The Match Nathan Cameron and Freddy Eastwood shared the votes with nominations for Richard Keogh and David Bell
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Coventry City have not lost their opening game since they were in the Premier League and it was against a side that dropped from the Premier League last season that they got the 2010/2011 Championship off to a great start with a 2-0 victory over Portsmouth.
Portsmouth had thankfully their biggest victory of the season so far on Thursday, when they beat Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs in the High Court to ensure that the South Coast club remained in existence and this match went ahead, and turned up at a Ricoh Arena on a wet afternoon with only fifteen players named.
Steve Cotterill might have had problems being able to name a team but he was not the only one.
Coventry City manager Aidy Boothroyd, who again watched City U18's this morning, had his problems with injuries and gave a surprise debut to Nathan Cameron at centre half along with the expected home debuts for Keogh, Carsley, McSheffrey and Jutkiewicz.
Wilson had the first chance of the game when he fired wide in the 41 seconds attacking the away end where the noisy Portsmouth fans, whose bell clanking away sounded like a one in a buoy out at sea warning ships of a possible hazard, were housed.
The bell was however, tolling for Portsmouth as within three minutes and fifteen seconds of the first whistle from referee Andy D'Urso, who had an excellent game, Coventry City had taken the lead.
Fit again David Bell won the corner as some City supporters were still coming into the ground. Gary McSheffrey sent the flag kick deep into the penalty area for Lee Carsley to knock down for Freddy Eastwood to fire past Jamie Ashdown and into the net at the CT Stand end.
There was much delight amongst the City support who had remembered that the last time Portsmouth visited the Ricoh Arena, the Sky Blues also scored early. However, today, City, under new management, were not going to concede easily.
Richard Keogh again looked good going forwards and was not too far over with a ninth minute run and shot before Portsmouth won a couple of corners that were easily dealt with by a confident City defence that had the hard working Martin Cranie playing against his former club.
As City played a lot of their football down the right, David Bell saw a good bit of the ball and was always looking to take players on rather than last season when he was under orders to pass back.
Lee Carsley, again showed why he has been brought in. He was a calm head, who worked well with Michael Doyle but the former Birmingham City player, was able to stand up and be counted when John Utaka started getting shirty.
David Bell volleyed into the side netting as we reached the end of an enjoyable opening forty five minutes and with the City support back in their seats, they were able to see Gary McSheffrey who putting in plenty of hard work, back on his old patch.
In the 69th minute, the City supporters had another goal to celebrate when David Bell got down the right and crossed for Freddy Eastwood who rose to powerfully head high into the net.
Thoughts were turning as to whether, Eastwood would emulate David Cross' opening day hat-trick against Everton or Micky Quinn's at Arsenal but it was not to be.
Clive Platt and Carl Baker were sent on by the City manager, before the travelling support made their feelings about John Utaka known when he was replaced with eight minutes to go.
In stoppage time, Wilson hit Westwood's left hand post with a free kick but the first three points of the season were in the bag for the Sky Blues.