COVENTRY CITY 0-1 SHREWSBURY TOWN
City; Murphy, Christie, Wood, Edjenguele, Adams, Baker, Jennings (Bailey 72, Moussa (Barton 82),Fleck (L.Clarke 53), McSheffrey, McGoldrick. Subs Dunn,J.Clarke, Cameron, Elliott.
Shrewsbury:Weale, Goldson, Grandison, Jones,Jacobson,Taylor (Mambo 93), ,Richards, Wildig (Hall 19), Purdie, Morgan, Rodgers (Bradshaw 85). Subs: Anyon, Woods, Smith, Gwilliams
HT CCFC 0-0 STFC FT CCFC 0-1 STFC
ATT 15,185
GOALS Marvin Morgan
Referee D .Deadman
Booked None
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Coventry City started off 2013 with a 1-0 home defeat to Shrewsbury Town.
Mark Robins gave David McGoldrick a place in his starting eleven at the expense of two goals against MK Dons hero Stephen Elliott and included back again James Bailey on the bench along with Leon Clarke, who has joined on a 28 day loan if you believe Charlton's version of events.
With long time club employee Michelle Ridley who sadly passed away last week remembered by the biggest home league crowd of the season, the game kicked off on a cold afternoon at the Ricoh Arena.
City attacking the away end for the first half were straight on the attack with McGoldrick, whom the City support were again making known their demands for him to stay, firing wide.
Graham Turner had included former Sky Blues Jermaine Grandison in his side and he made a great block to stop Moussa in the third minute.
Five minutes later, Shrewsbury went down the other end and Joe Murphy saved with his legs. The force of this block required the keeper to seek treatment.
In the 20th minute, Gary McSheffrey went on a run and hit a stunning shot which crashed off the bar and keeper.
That hitting the bar seemed to sum up the game for the Sky Blues as City kept having a go, looking to attack whenever they were allowed to by a resilient Shrews side but just could not get the final ball to the desired player or were stopped by a Shrews side which added a man to their midfield when needed.
Shrewsbury really should have scored in the 33rd minute when Jacobsen centred across the six yard box for the incoming Morgan. Thankfully, the ball missed everyone and Blair Adams was able to see it out for a goal kick.
Three minutes later and Chris Weale dived to his left to push away a Moussa header.
City started the second half with more urgency. Blair Adams fired at Weale following a throw and a deflected McSheffrey shot won City a corner.
McSheffrey then missed a great chance before Leon Clarke came on for his debut and headed a 54th minute cross wide with his first touch of the ball.
Four minutes later, Baker fired wide before the visitors fashioned two good chances of their own and then took the lead in the 61st minute when Marvin Morgan scored after an initial great save from Murphy.
Adams curled wide for a City side in need of some uplift. James Bailey came on and Clarke forced Weale into a good save in a game well refereed by the normally card happy Mr Deadman.
You knew It was not going to be City’s day when Gary McSheffrey missed a sitter and Baker hit an 81st minute shot but Weale, in the Shrews goal, who was leading a charmed life,blocked this and the follow up from McGoldrick, who was denied a chance to say his good byes to the City support when Robins switched Moussa with Barton.
City could not be faulted for effort and had twenty shots on goal with nine on target but whether this was over confidence, the excesses of all the matches recently, the problems of dealing with a big expectant home crowd, I don't know but it was a bad way to start 2013.