DERBY COUNTY 2-1 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
Date 06/11/09 At Pride Park Championship
Coventry
Konstantopolous, Clarke (sent off 62), Ward, Barnett, van Aanholt (Hussey 65), Eastwood (Bell 76), Cork (McIndoe 66), Morrison, Best SNU Ireland, Madine, Grandison, Jeffers
Derby
Bywater, Green (Livermore 87), Leacock (Addison 77), Savage, Pearson, Stoor,Barker, Moxey. Teale, Dickov (Croft 79), Hulse SNU Atkins, McEveley, Hughes, Connelly
HT DCFC 0-1 CCFC FT DCFC 1-2 CCFC ATT 26,511
Goals Leon Best (3), Rob Hulse (48 & 61)
Referee Phil Crossley
Booked Dickov, Barnett, Clarke x2, van Aanholt, Hussey,
Man Of The Match Leon Barrnett took the votes in our car with nominations for Osbourne and Cork.
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Coventry City were left to rue some more poor defending as they went down to a 2-1 defeat at Derby County in a stormy fixture.
This Friday night affair shown live on Sky and the poor form of late from a side in need of proper funding did offer an excuse for some not to go to Pride Park, but the turn out of 681 City supporters was very good for a rainy night in this East Midllands city.
It all started so well as Chris Coleman's side, which saw four changes from the one beaten by Reading, took the lead. Leon Best, who is in the Republic Of Ireland squad to face France next week, got the ball on the right and finished with a great low drive after a cross from Freddy Eastwood has been punched out by ex City loanee Stephen Bywater.
This sparked wild scenes in the away end. However, with a referee making decisions that both sets of fans felt were wrong, Derby started to be allowed chances.
Debutant Leon Barnett was kept busy as a former City loanee Dean Leacock had a chance followed by ones for Hulse, Teale, Pearson,
At times in the first half, City passed the ball well and one move brought huge cheers from the sky blue support every time a City player touched the ball.
In the 31st minute, there was touching of a different kind when Barnett, was grabbed in a menacing way by Paul Dickov. Somehow, the Scot escaped with a caution, which was what Barnett received.
Two more City players followed into the book of Mr Crossley. Jordan Clarke was cautioned for what looked from the away end as intent and Patrick van Aanholt for time wasting.
Five minutes of stoppage time were added on and in that the City fans were howling as Dickov blasted a right wing cross over from four yards to see Coventry ahead at the break.
Unfortunately, City did not start the second period as same as they started the first.
Within four minutes of the restart, City's static defence were caught napping as a cross came over and there was Rob Hulse who had plenty of time to flick past Dimi from a Teale pass.
In the 61st minute, the former Crewe youngster compounded more misery on the Sky Blues when a cross from the left was not dealt with and Hulse picked his spot to score.
Now, there cannot be a referee in the country who does not know the antics of Robbie Savage. The Leicester loving Welshman according to an article in the Leicester media a couple of weeks ago, had been trying to get a City player sent off. In the 62nd minute, he got his wish when Clarke clattered him before walking off as a melee ensued.
It was hard to see what happened but Savage kept having to swap his blood shirt throughout the remainder of the game from something that had nothing to do with Clarke's tackle.
"2-1 To The Referee" plus some Robbie Savage abuse sang the City fans as Chris Coleman and Steve Harrison opted to send on Chris Hussey and Michael McIndoe.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, City, for me had more than enough to get something out of this game against a side, who showed glimpses as to why they were 19th in the table going into this game.
However, lacking effective leadership on the pitch and someone who could put their foot on the ball and dictate the play, the Sky Blues did not really threaten the goal of Stephen Bywater.
Isaac Osbourne, Jack Cork and Aron Gunnarsson all did jobs but although McIndoe did get the odd cross over, there again seemed a lack of urgency amidst the City team.
With ten minutes left, Derby were awarded a penalty conceded by Chris Hussey. Those of you who watched it on tv, would have had a lot better view than me stood at the opposite end or my mate Stewy stood next to me with the game on the tv on his phone. Whether, it was a penalty or not did not really matter as Rob Hulse stepped up expecting to get his hat-trick and he hit a low shot that Dimi dived to his left to push away.
The ten men pushed forward at the end winning an 88th minute corner but they went down to another defeat.