COVENTRY CITY 3-1 PLYMOUTH ARGYLE BY KEV MONKS
Team
Schmeichel, Fox,Dann,Osbourne,Ward,S.Hughes,Doyle,Tabb, Gray (Thornton 61), Simpson, Mifsud (Hines 86) SNU Marshall,Hall,Duffy
Plymouth
McCormick,Connolly,Paterson,Clark (Abdou 66),Teale,MacLean,Wotton,Sawyer (Mackie 66),Seip,Anderson (Timar 66),Easter SNU Nalis,Jutkiewicz
HT CCFC 2-0 PAFC FT CCFC 3-1 PAFC ATT 18,775
REFEREE R.Beeby Booked Easter,Sawyer,MacLean,Paterson,Simpson
Man Of The Match - Michael Doyle took the votes very easily
_______________________
STARTING FORMATION
Chris Coleman had to make changes after the 0-0 draw at Southampton. With Leon Best serving a two game suspension, Robbie Simpson who scored for the reserves in midweek came in along with Julian Gray for Kevin Thorton. The Midfielder took his place on the bench alongside new boy Zavon Hines.
Pilgrims boss Paul Sturrock had Coventry kid Luke McCormick in goal but left former Sky Blue Lillian Nallis on the bench
Simpson Best
Gray Doyle S.Hughes Tabb
Fox Dan Ward Osbourne
Schmeichel
____________________________________________
CITY SUPPORT
Had Freddie Eastwood been signed, then the turnout would have been bigger. Plymouth, for once of their closest journey's had the 1800, you would have had expected for a side sixth in the table going into this game.
____________________________
Coventry City eased their relegation worries with a 3-1 victory over Plymouth Argyle at the Arena.
For many staff, this was their last game as CCFC employees, following the widesweeping cuts made by SISU and implemented by Ray Ranson. We wish them all well in their new careers.
More bad news came with the news that City were not going to sign Freddie Eastwood on Wednesday or Thursday. The Welsh international would have probably started today as a lone striker so Chris Coleman changed things and went for a 4-4-2 formation.
It was a change that worked well. Although Robbie Simpson's aerial prowess was not as effective as it might have been, the formation allowed the City players to get the ball on the deck and pass it from there, which they did efficiently.
Plymouth had the better of the early play and could have had a second minute penalty when Jermaine Easter went over the outcoming Kasper Schmeichel. Now,we have all seen decisions given for less but referee Mr Beeby produced a yellow card for the attacker.
Easter had an early part in a move in the 12th minute when a Clark flick found Gary Teale. He looked to be offside but the female official on the Tescos Stand side was having none of it and after checking his on-sideness, Teale centred across the face of the goal to the far side where Steve MacLean thankfully stabbed wide.
City upped the tempo and started to find their players with their passing. A well worked move in the 31st minute was blasted wide by Julian Gray, much to the disgust of some sections of the City support.
All jeers and negativity were soon forgotten as City took the lead in the 35th minute. Michael Doyle was the man who got the goal after getting to a cross from Jay Tabb who had sped down the right and centred for Simpson to flick on to the Irishman who rammed the ball home with McCormick helpless.
It was raining,it was cold, the wind was biting but it mattered not a jot, as like the buses on Ball Hilll, another goal arrived six minutes later. Michael Doyle was again the scorer. This time,he made a good prod forward inside the centre circle to allow Jay Tabb to get on his bike, slip his marker and down the right before delivering a pinpoint cross for Doyle to slam into the net.
With the attempt at a cashless concourse seemingly working well, the City support were back in their seats to see the Sky Blues come out on the attack.
Michael Mifsud, who was a five goal hero for his country in midweek, battled well all game and was unlucky not to have got his first league goal in 2008 in the 48th minute when his shot went across the face of the goal and just missed the far post.
Another player who enjoyed a midweek international outing was Scott Dann and the centre half had a header from a corner won by Simpson,cleared off the line by Sawyer in the 51st minute.
There was a big cheer when Julian Gray went off in the 61st minute and an even bigger one when Kevin Thornton was introduced. It was a change that brought immediate reward as Thornton was in the right place to collect a ball from Tabb via Simpson and stab the ball forward. Jay Tabb, used his pace to get past the last defender and from seven yards tuck the ball past McCormick for City's third goal of the afternoon.
Plymouth boss Paul Sturrock was less than pleased and went for a triple substitution. Anderson,Clark and Sawyer were all replaced as the Pilgrims tried to claw their way back into the game.
With the Mexican Wave sweeping round the Arena, the City players seem to get caught up in this celebratory mood. The visitors had already gone close when in the 81st minute, some dithering in what had been a rock solid defence left Steve MacLean all alone to fire home and reduced City's margin of victory.
With four minutes to go, plus a whopping five minutes of stoppage time, Michael Mifsud left to a standing ovation and Zavon Hines,who joins City on a month's loan from West Ham Reserves, was introduced to the action.
Hines was full of beans as he charged to make one great block but had little to do as City ran out worthy winners and give Chris Coleman plenty of positives to take into the game at Shefield Wednesday on Tuesday night.