SHEFFIELD UNITED 2-1 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
Team
Marshall,Osbourne,Ward,Fox,Dann,S.Hughes,Doyle,Tabb,Thornton,Best,Mifsud. SNU Ireland,Simpson,Hall,Andrews,Gray
Sheff United
Kenny,Naysmith,Morgan,Beattie (Hulse 55),Cotterill (Ehugo 90),Cerney (Gillespie 63),Speed,Kilgallon,Teague,Sharp,Geary. Subs Stead,Bennett
HT SUFC 0-0 CCFC FT SUFC 2-1 CCFC
Ref T.Kettle Booked Ward,Sharp,Morgan,Hulse,Hughes,Tabb,Fox,Osbourne
Att 23,864
Goals Billy Sharp (67),Gary Speed (75), Ward (80 pen)
Man Of The Match Elliott Ward,Scott Dann and Kevin Thornton shared the votes.
_________________
STARTING LINE UP
Chris Coleman kept the same team that had beaten Norwich City.
Kevin Blackwell included former Sky Blue Ian Bennett on the bench.
________
CITY SUPPORT
Hats off to the Blades for only charging £10 for adults and £5 concessions. It was an offer made worth it after a slow journey through a very traffic laiden M69 & M1 there and back.
Around six hundred Coventry City supporters made the trip for the penultimate midweek away game of the season.
_____________
GROUND
A ground that once staged Test Match cricket, although redevelopment has removed any trace.
Still a ground with character with a big Kop stand behind the goal. Close to the city centre and easy to get to.
_______________
Coventry City put in a battling performance but went down to a 2-1 to Sheffield United.
City travelled to South Yorkshire, with no away points since Ray Ranson took over, but were boosted by a good performance against Norwich on Saturday.
With the Sky Blue Army in excellent voice, abusing Paddy Kenny after marking a minute silence for the late Sheffield legend Derek Dooley, we started cheering a team which attacked from the start.
Attacking the Helliwell Stand end where the City support were accomodated in the lower tier,the Sky Blues were unlucky not to have been ahead in the fifth minute when a Thornton free kick found Scott Dann at the far post.
The former Walsall man's shot was hacked away a couple of yards off the line. The centre half retrieved the ball and played it back to Leon Best,still wearing his duck feet. Best was clearly impeded as he went for the ball but Rutland based referee Trevor Kettle,who was a member of the RAF FA (and probably the serviceman abused in Peterbrough after some of his performances, if reserve matches over the years and the 4-1 defeat at Ipswich earlier this season are anything to go by), waved away the appeals.
The Blades broke and had the ball in the net but it was not given due to a foul on Andy Marshall.
Chris Coleman had said that his side were not going to play entertaining football,they were going for a result. If this was not entertaining football from both sides, then I have no idea what it and the first half was one of the best I have seen this season.
Michael Mifsud had a good chance in the eighth minute, firing into the path of Elliott Ward and into the hands of Paddy Kenny. Leon Best fired over before the home side had the ball in the net one more in the 17th minute. A cross from the left was finished off by I think Speed (United's black numbers on their shirts were incredibly difficult to read). Thankfully,it was ruled out for offside.City countered through Jay Tabb and only a super tackle from Derek Geary stopped him putting City ahead.
Coventry won two corners and in the 28th minute,Leon Best chested the ball down,turned his marker and a covering defender but could not keep his curler down.
It might have been pouring with rain but the action did not stop. Fox fired over and in the 43rd minute,a free kick was cleared back to Issac Osbourne who drove low,just missing Ward on its way wide.
One minute was added on and this gave City their final chance of the half. Tabb and the lively Thornton earned a corner. Scott Dann rose to meet Doyle's corner. Somehow,Kenny dived to his left to superbly push the ball away.
The Sky Blues started the second half as they had finished the first by taking the game to the side formerly managed by latest Leicester target Bryan Robson.
Mifsud,whose form should return when he scores a league goal,had an effort saved,followed by Thornton having a shot with his right.
In the 67th minute,Thornton lost possession,allowing a cross from the right and there was Billy Sharp,a couple of yards out. Issac Osbourne should have come out and got the ball or the man,but he stood still and Sharp nodded into the net.
Hulse and Tabb joined the list of bookings but in the 75th minute, United were inside the area. Stephen Hughes was caught attempting in the opinion of the referee to elbow Billy Sharp,(we thought it was a shirt pull.) and a penalty awarded.
Andy Marshall reacted superbly to Gary Speed's spot kick which went down the middle. Unfortunately, the keeper could not hold onto the kick and Speed was first to the loose ball and slotted it into the net.
This penalty may have been correct but three minutes later, City were awarded a penalty at the other end. Michael Mifsud got inside the area on the left and went down.
Now,seconds before this,we had been asking nay demanding a miracle from a City supporter in front of us who bore a remarkable resemblance to Jesus Christ. A bit of devine intervention,and City had a penalty. Elliott Ward stepped up and beat Kenny on his right hand side to get City back in the match.
Another penalty following what looked like an 85th minute handball which the players certainly appealed for was not given.
Team
Marshall,Osbourne,Ward,Fox,Dann,S.Hughes,Doyle,Tabb,Thornton,Best,Mifsud. SNU Ireland,Simpson,Hall,Andrews,Gray
Sheff United
Kenny,Naysmith,Morgan,Beattie (Hulse 55),Cotterill (Ehugo 90),Cerney (Gillespie 63),Speed,Kilgallon,Teague,Sharp,Geary. Subs Stead,Bennett
HT SUFC 0-0 CCFC FT SUFC 2-1 CCFC
Ref T.Kettle Booked Ward,Sharp,Morgan,Hulse,Hughes,Tabb,Fox,Osbourne
Att 23,864
Goals Billy Sharp (67),Gary Speed (75), Ward (80 pen)
Man Of The Match Elliott Ward,Scott Dann and Kevin Thornton shared the votes.
_________________
STARTING LINE UP
Chris Coleman kept the same team that had beaten Norwich City.
Kevin Blackwell included former Sky Blue Ian Bennett on the bench.
________
CITY SUPPORT
Hats off to the Blades for only charging £10 for adults and £5 concessions. It was an offer made worth it after a slow journey through a very traffic laiden M69 & M1 there and back.
Around six hundred Coventry City supporters made the trip for the penultimate midweek away game of the season.
_____________
GROUND
A ground that once staged Test Match cricket, although redevelopment has removed any trace.
Still a ground with character with a big Kop stand behind the goal. Close to the city centre and easy to get to.
_______________
Coventry City put in a battling performance but went down to a 2-1 to Sheffield United.
City travelled to South Yorkshire, with no away points since Ray Ranson took over, but were boosted by a good performance against Norwich on Saturday.
With the Sky Blue Army in excellent voice, abusing Paddy Kenny after marking a minute silence for the late Sheffield legend Derek Dooley, we started cheering a team which attacked from the start.
Attacking the Helliwell Stand end where the City support were accomodated in the lower tier,the Sky Blues were unlucky not to have been ahead in the fifth minute when a Thornton free kick found Scott Dann at the far post.
The former Walsall man's shot was hacked away a couple of yards off the line. The centre half retrieved the ball and played it back to Leon Best,still wearing his duck feet. Best was clearly impeded as he went for the ball but Rutland based referee Trevor Kettle,who was a member of the RAF FA (and probably the serviceman abused in Peterbrough after some of his performances, if reserve matches over the years and the 4-1 defeat at Ipswich earlier this season are anything to go by), waved away the appeals.
The Blades broke and had the ball in the net but it was not given due to a foul on Andy Marshall.
Chris Coleman had said that his side were not going to play entertaining football,they were going for a result. If this was not entertaining football from both sides, then I have no idea what it and the first half was one of the best I have seen this season.
Michael Mifsud had a good chance in the eighth minute, firing into the path of Elliott Ward and into the hands of Paddy Kenny. Leon Best fired over before the home side had the ball in the net one more in the 17th minute. A cross from the left was finished off by I think Speed (United's black numbers on their shirts were incredibly difficult to read). Thankfully,it was ruled out for offside.City countered through Jay Tabb and only a super tackle from Derek Geary stopped him putting City ahead.
Coventry won two corners and in the 28th minute,Leon Best chested the ball down,turned his marker and a covering defender but could not keep his curler down.
It might have been pouring with rain but the action did not stop. Fox fired over and in the 43rd minute,a free kick was cleared back to Issac Osbourne who drove low,just missing Ward on its way wide.
One minute was added on and this gave City their final chance of the half. Tabb and the lively Thornton earned a corner. Scott Dann rose to meet Doyle's corner. Somehow,Kenny dived to his left to superbly push the ball away.
The Sky Blues started the second half as they had finished the first by taking the game to the side formerly managed by latest Leicester target Bryan Robson.
Mifsud,whose form should return when he scores a league goal,had an effort saved,followed by Thornton having a shot with his right.
In the 67th minute,Thornton lost possession,allowing a cross from the right and there was Billy Sharp,a couple of yards out. Issac Osbourne should have come out and got the ball or the man,but he stood still and Sharp nodded into the net.
Hulse and Tabb joined the list of bookings but in the 75th minute, United were inside the area. Stephen Hughes was caught attempting in the opinion of the referee to elbow Billy Sharp,(we thought it was a shirt pull.) and a penalty awarded.
Andy Marshall reacted superbly to Gary Speed's spot kick which went down the middle. Unfortunately, the keeper could not hold onto the kick and Speed was first to the loose ball and slotted it into the net.
This penalty may have been correct but three minutes later, City were awarded a penalty at the other end. Michael Mifsud got inside the area on the left and went down.
Now,seconds before this,we had been asking nay demanding a miracle from a City supporter in front of us who bore a remarkable resemblance to Jesus Christ. A bit of devine intervention,and City had a penalty. Elliott Ward stepped up and beat Kenny on his right hand side to get City back in the match.
Another penalty following what looked like an 85th minute handball which the players certainly appealed for was not given.
We urged City forward but it was to no avail and the Sky Blues went down to their tenth consecutive away league defeat.