COVENTRY CITY 2-3 IPSWICH TOWN SAT FEB 4TH AT Ricoh Arena
City: Murphy, Keogh, Cranie, Clarke (Willis 84), Wood, Clingan, Bell (Norwood 65), Deegan, McSheffrey, Nimely, Platt. SNU Dunn, Eastwood, Baker
Ipswich: Lee Barrett, Sonko, Smith, Cresswell, Drury, Hyam, Edwards, Martin, Emmanuel-Thomas, Murphy, Chopra. SNU Bullard, McCarthy, Scotland, Leadbitter, Delaney
HT CCFC 2-1 ITFC FT CCFC 2-3 ITFC NOTS (Number of Tickets Sold) 13, 464
Referee Nigel Miller . Assts L.Betts & M.Wilkes. Booked Wood
Goals Jay Emmanuel-Thomas (21), Sammy Clingan (28 pen), Gary Deegan (44). Michael Chopra (64 & 94)
Man Of The Match – Richard Keogh took the votes with nominations for McSheffrey, Cranie, Clingan and Nimely
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CITY SUPPORT
The weather meant that the Coventry Telegraph’s call to arms for City supporters to back the boys fell mainly on deaf ears and only just over twelve thousand braved the weather.
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DIRECTOR WATCH John Clarke, Tim Fisher and Mark Labovitch were in the Directors Box.
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CITY TEAM
Andy Thorn, was forced into changes with a number of injuries and brought in Richard Wood, Jordan Clarke and David Bell. He also included City U18’s skipper Jordan Willis on the bench.
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Coventry City look to be heading for League One after going down to yet another late defeat against Ipswich Town.
With the snow coming down at the Ricoh Arena on a horrible day, City took to the field needing to forget the loss at Blackpool on Tuesday night and get something from this vital game.
Ipswich had the early play with Richard Wood, playing at left back, having to make one good clearance to concede a corner, and in the 21st minute, the Tractor Boys took the lead when Jay Emmanuel Thomas was allowed to get in a shot from a ball that both Clarke and Wood should have cleared, and it took a deflection and beat Murphy.
Six minutes later, City levelled when the referee Mr Miller spotted a handball and awarded a penalty, following McSheffrey sending over a long free kick, which Sammy Clingan duly dispatched past former City Reserve team keeper Arran Lee Barrett, who has certainly matured since his time at Coventry.
With the snow getting heavier, playing good football in these freezing conditions was not going to be possible and there was a lack of clear chances until Jordan Clarke fired wide and David Bell forced Lee Barrett to push over with a 25 yard pile driver.
Supporters were starting to make their way to get a much-needed half-time cuppa from the few refreshment kiosks that had hot-water when City won a 44th minute throw in.
Jordan Clarke found Clive Platt with his know and he knocked the ball into the path of Gary Deegan who hammered a shot past Lee Barrett to see City in front at the break.
Ipswich were almost level three minutes into the second half when a mistake allowed the ball to fall to Andy Drury who saw his effort from inside the area beaten away by Murphy for a corner.
Chopra flicked wide with only Murphy to beat before Alex Nimely who had a pretty quiet game could only manage a weak 58th minute shot.
The 1146 visiting fans had screamed for a penalty on the hour mark and two minutes later, got their wish when Richard Keogh, was adjudged by referee Mr Miller, to have shoved Lee Martin.
Joe Murphy did really well to push Lee Martin’s spot kick onto the crossbar but when the ball came back to earth, Michael Chopra was there to lash it in.
Andy Thorn, who was rumoured not to have been happy with the meeting he was called into on Wednesday, sent on Oliver Norwood for his debut. The loan signing from Manchester United, although displaying the odd neat touch, clearly looks like he will need a few games before he finds his feet at Championship level.
Some City fans had thought that the penalty decision was harsh and when the referee failed to adequately deal with fouls on Murphy and Nimely, many in the Tesco’s stand and a good number in the CT stand let the County Durham based , orange shirt wearing match official have it with both barrels.
There were hoots of derision when he awarded a 75th minute free kick for a foul on McSheffrey which Clingan sent the wrong side of the side netting.
Jordan Clarke pulled up injured so Thorn sent on Jordan Willis before City should have had a penalty when Oliver Norwood, was pulled down by Aaron Cresswell. All that was given was the first of two corners before the match went into four minutes of added time.
One of the reasons that Coventry City are rooted to the bottom of the Championship is because of the amount of late goals they have conceded and in the final minute of added time, there was Michael Chopra who was allowed space at the far post to get in a header and beat Murphy and condemn City to a defeat which leaves them staring relegation in the face.