WALSALL 2-0 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
The misery continues for City fans as the Sky Blues went down to a 2-0 defeat at Walsall.
The misery continues for City fans as the Sky Blues went down to a 2-0 defeat at Walsall.
For this short trip to North Birmingham,Jonny Tuffey played in goal, with Stephen Hughes returning in midfield after what was reported as flu.
Walsall fielded Craig Pead at right back and were on the back foot in the early exchanges with Dele Adebola heading wide from a Scowcroft cross.
In the tenth minute,a lovely bit of control by Gary McSheffrey saw him control the ball before cutting inside and firing at Saddlers keeper Adam Oakes.
Four minutes later,McShefrey went even closer rifling a fourteen yarder against Oakes left hand post before it bounced away.
City's first corner came in the 18th minute but only produced a free kick for the home side who broke up the other end for Michael Standing to drill wide from twelve yards.
In the 33rd minute,Walsall took the lead when a cross from Wright went straight to JORGE LEITAO on the penalty spot. Despite Robert Page and Matt Heath in close attention, he still had time to turn and lash the ball high into the net.
Stephen Hughes had a volley parried away by Oakes and a probing Richard Duffy cross won a corner as a miserable half came to a close.
Paul Watson replaced Marcus Hall at the break.Playing four up at times was not helping the Sky Blues who again lacked width and the abilty to hold the ball under pressure and pass to a player wearing the same shirt.
Ten minutes into the second half,Paul Watson got down the left,crossed for Scowcroft to knock back for Michael Doyle to fire high into the stand where the 300+ City fans were housed.
On the hour mark, both sides made changes with Darryl Powell coming on for Dele Adebola and Paul Merson opting to replace the goalscorer with Varusso.
Some of the decisions by Birmingham based referee Tony Parkes were questionable and in the 67th minute,Walsall somehow got a goal kick when Westwood headed over his own cross bar.
With fifteen minutes to go and after Gary McSheffrey had squared up to the Walsall keeper,Claus Jorgensen came on for Stephen Hughes.
Now Jonny Tuffey had had a decent game but in the 78th minute,the 18 year old Northern Irishman came out to clear a back pass and RUBIEN DARIO VARUSSO chipped the ball back over Tuffey's head and into the net from twenty five yards.
In the last minute,a Micheal Doyle free kick sailed well wide of the goal and summed up a miserable night.
Att 2092
City's first corner came in the 18th minute but only produced a free kick for the home side who broke up the other end for Michael Standing to drill wide from twelve yards.
In the 33rd minute,Walsall took the lead when a cross from Wright went straight to JORGE LEITAO on the penalty spot. Despite Robert Page and Matt Heath in close attention, he still had time to turn and lash the ball high into the net.
Stephen Hughes had a volley parried away by Oakes and a probing Richard Duffy cross won a corner as a miserable half came to a close.
Paul Watson replaced Marcus Hall at the break.Playing four up at times was not helping the Sky Blues who again lacked width and the abilty to hold the ball under pressure and pass to a player wearing the same shirt.
Ten minutes into the second half,Paul Watson got down the left,crossed for Scowcroft to knock back for Michael Doyle to fire high into the stand where the 300+ City fans were housed.
On the hour mark, both sides made changes with Darryl Powell coming on for Dele Adebola and Paul Merson opting to replace the goalscorer with Varusso.
Some of the decisions by Birmingham based referee Tony Parkes were questionable and in the 67th minute,Walsall somehow got a goal kick when Westwood headed over his own cross bar.
With fifteen minutes to go and after Gary McSheffrey had squared up to the Walsall keeper,Claus Jorgensen came on for Stephen Hughes.
Now Jonny Tuffey had had a decent game but in the 78th minute,the 18 year old Northern Irishman came out to clear a back pass and RUBIEN DARIO VARUSSO chipped the ball back over Tuffey's head and into the net from twenty five yards.
In the last minute,a Micheal Doyle free kick sailed well wide of the goal and summed up a miserable night.
Att 2092
TEAM
Tuffey,Duffy,Hall (Watson 46),Doyle,Page,Heath, Scowcroft,Hughes (Jorgensen 75),John,Adebola (Powell 59),McSheffrey.
Subs Osbourne,Thornton,Belford,Shaw,Barrett,Whing,Morrell.Williams
Walsall
Oakes,Pead,Cox,Westwood (Gerrard 72),Standing,Osbourne,Leitao(Larossa 59),Wrack,Wright,Taylor,Bennett SUbs Kinsella,Coleman,Atieno
Tuffey,Duffy,Hall (Watson 46),Doyle,Page,Heath, Scowcroft,Hughes (Jorgensen 75),John,Adebola (Powell 59),McSheffrey.
Subs Osbourne,Thornton,Belford,Shaw,Barrett,Whing,Morrell.Williams
Walsall
Oakes,Pead,Cox,Westwood (Gerrard 72),Standing,Osbourne,Leitao(Larossa 59),Wrack,Wright,Taylor,Bennett SUbs Kinsella,Coleman,Atieno