TRANMERE ROVERS 3-1 COVENTRY CITY
City Murphy, Christie (Willis 73) Clarke. Webster, Seaborne, Fleck, Thomas, Moussa, Daniels (Marshall 66), Baker (McGeouch 75), Petrasso. Subs Adams, Barton, Maund, Burge.
Tranmere: Fon Williams, Taylor, Wallace, Lowe (Kirby 57), Cassidy (Stockton 66), Jennings, Kennedy (Robinson 86), Koumas, Ridehelagh, Pennington, Arthurworry. Subs Holmes, Goodison. Power, Mooney.
HT TRFC 1-0 CCFC FT TRFC 3-1 CCFC ATT 5279
GOALS Ryan Lowe 11 pen, Conor Thomas OG 48, James Kirby 65, Michael Petrasso 78
Referee A.Madley
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Coventry City's miserable record at Tranmere Rovers continued with a 3-1 defeat.
It was a sunny morning as we set off for the Wirral to see the Sky Blues try and get some revenge for the 5-1 defeat inflicted by the favourite football team of members of Half Man Half Biscuit earlier this season.
City, who have lost one game in seven in the game before they take on Shrewsbury at "home" in the league, brought a good following of 912 fans including supporters from as far as Brighton, Newcastle. London, Hampshire and Kent to Prenton Park.
The Sky Blues, playing in their yellow away kit, had Carl Baker up front in place of Chuba Akpom who was on Arsenal duty and they were straight on the attack winning a third minute corner.
However, John McMahon's side started to press and it took a great one handed save from Joe Murphy in the sixth minute to stop Tranmere going ahead with a point blank header from Arthurworry.
In the eleventh minute, Billy Daniels made a lunge on Ridehalagh from behind and the referee awarded a penalty despite the protests from the City players. Ryan Lowe stepped up and maintained his record of scoring against City when he drilled the ball straight down the middle after Murphy had gone to his right.
Being only six points ahead of the relegation zone, we really needed City to start taking the game to Tranmere Rovers but what we got was a 20th minute corner for Rovers which hit Murphy's left hand post.
Fleck tried with a grass-cutter two minutes later but the home side broke and Kennedy headed over at the other end with an effort from close range that he really should have put away.
In the 31st minute, a City free kick fell for Baker who turned and got in a shot which was pushed. The corner was dealt with but Baker tried again and had his shot inside the area blocked by Fon Williams.
Lowe hit the side netting at the other end before the City supporters who were abusing Tim Fisher for all they were worth, watched John Fleck fire over from long range.
Three minutes in to the second half and the City fans were raging as Tranmere won a free kick on the right. Koumas curled it in, James Wallace got in but the ball came off Conor Thomas and went into the net.
Clarke curled over a free kick for a City team who had Michael Petrasso challenging for everything.
Now this was not as a bad performance as Notts County but it was one that was bad enough for the City fans continue to fume with an object being thrown down the stand towards the pitch in the 62nd minute when a corner was not given.
Tranmere went up the other end and after an initial Murphy save, the ball came was played across the area for the unmarked James Kirby from a Kennedy pass, to make it three.
In the 66th minute, Billy Daniels was replaced by Mark Marshall and Tranmere replaced Cassidy with Stockton.
The City fans had by had enough and those not trying to fight each other or heading for the exits were chanting about how embarrassing this was.
Jordan Willis was sent on for Cyrus Christie to try and stop the huge liberties that their winger was enjoying with step-overs galore.
Pressley used his third substitution with fifteen minutes to go bring on McGeouch, who was soon involved as City won three corners in a row, along with Marshall who added something on the left.
With thirteen minutes to go, the City support finally had something to cheer when City’s man of the match Michael Petrasso showed a burst of speed and got round the keeper to score.
"We're gonna win 4-3" sang some of the 912 strong City support as Fleck blasted over and Kirby was booked for a foul.
After Marshall had curled over a free kick, six minutes were added on but to be honest, a poor City team were never going to fight till the game is won and a third defeat in a row was inevitable.