COVENTRY CITY 1-2 IPSWICH TOWN BY KEV MONKS
Another woeful display by the Sky Blues led to City supporters turning on the team,manager and Board as they suffered a home Boxing Day defeat by Ipswich Town.
City having lost at West Brom and Luton Town in their last two games made only one change with Andy Marshall back for the injured Luke Steele in goal. On the bench,Isaac Osbourne replaced the unavailable Darren Currie. Also unavailable was Robert Page whose wife had gone into labour.
This was a drab opening period but Coventry who attacked the away end in the first half looked the better side.
Leon McKenzie who like Andy Marshall was jeered by the 1,600 visitors for having played for Norwich, did pose a bit of a threat early on,banging over a cross which Colin Cameron volley wide.
City's first corner came in the 8th minute through an attack from Stern John who has been linked with a move to Beitar Jerusalem
It was clear this early on, that City despite the efforts of Stephen Hughes who again worked hard, the Sky Blues lacked urgency and belief, a clear sign that Micky Adams again was not getting the best out of the players he had available.
Ipswich's loanee Sylvain Legwinski was the first player into the book of referee Clive Oliver with a 15th minute trip on acting skipper Michael Doyle and three minutes later, Alan Lee joined him. Lee had raced into the penalty area and went down at the feet of rumoured Charlton Athletic target Elliott Ward.
Many of the 22,154 crowd around me thought Mr Oliver would be giving a penalty but the official adjudged Lee to have dived and waved a yellow card in the face of former Villa forward.
Talking of Villa, also in a quietish crowd was Steve Staunton,now manager of Republic Of Ireland.
With no City striker capable of working out Ipswich's offside trap and City's passing and distribution clearly not up to the required standard, some of the City support especially towards the back of the CT Stand were getting increasingly restless as City booed off at the break.
An early flourish after the restart led to nothing whilst at the other end, Andy Marshall got down well to push a Garvan shot away for a corner
Michael Doyle went wide from twelve yards with a good chance in the 56th minute following some good running from McKenzie and an overhead kick from Stern John.
I had just said to a very good mate of longstanding that Ipswich looked capable of scoring when they took a 60th minute lead. Andy Marshall had made a good block to concede a corner. A ball went to the far post and was nodded down for Jon Macken to bundle into the net.
Micky Adams was compelled to do something and in his infinite wisdom, sent on Kevin Kyle who was again booed as he replaced Dele Adebola who had switched out to left wing and Chris Birchall for Colin Cameron and in the 65th minute made his final change with Marcus Hall coming on for Clive Clarke.
City had their best chance of the game so far,a minute after the final switch when Leon McKenzie got the ball deep inside the penalty area and rifled a close range shot which Ipswich keeper Lewis Price pushed onto the crossbar and out for a corner.
Another good chance was wasted in the 73rd minute when Price spilled a telling Birchall cross. The ball fell to Kevin Kyle but instead of lifting the ball over the advancing keeper, the lumbering Scot fired straight at the Welshman.
Elliott Ward headed off his own line with ten to go as chants of "What A Load Of Rubbish" and boos started to emanate from the cold and disgruntled supporters in the CT Stand.
In the 84th minute,many of those who had been directing these chants were heading for home as Ipswich doubled their tally. A cross from the left found the unmarked Alan Lee who nodded past Marshall.
As the visitors celebrated, chants of "Sack The Board" and "You Don't Know What You're Doing " rang round the ground which was now less than half full.
A chant of "You're Not Fit To Wear The Shirt" seemed to hit home with some of the players as in the 89th minute, City reduced the arrears thanks to Leon McKenzie cutting back for Michael Doyle who fired home from twelve yards.
The first goal scored by a City player from open play in December created a grandstand finish with Price pushing over a McKenzie header from a Stephen Hughes free kick in the third minute of stoppage time.
It was not enough and City were booed off on the final whistle after again letting down their supporters who turned up in good numbers.
HT CCFC 0-0 ITFC
FT CCFC 1-2 ITFC
Goals Jon Macken (60), Alan Lee (84), Michael Doyle (89)
Referee C.Oliver Booked Legwinski,Lee
Team
Marshall, Bischoff,Ward,C.Clarke (Hall 65),Duffy, Cameron (61),Doyle,Hughes,Adebola (Kyle 61), McKenzie,John SNU Virgo,Osbourne
Ipswich
Price,De Vos,Bruce,Naylor,Garvan,Legwinski,Williams (Walton 86),Harding (Richards 34), Roberts, Lee, Macken (B.Clarke 79) SNU Supple,Haynes