READING FC 2-0 COVENTRY CITY
SAT FEB 11 At Madejski Stadium, Reading
City: Murphy, Keogh, Wood (Clarke 7), Christie, Clingan (Bell 58), Norwood, Deegan (Baker 75), Nimely, McSheffrey, Platt. SNU Dunn, Eastwood.
Reading: Federici, Connolly, Harte, Gorkss, Pearce, Karacan, Leigterwood (Tabb 86), Kebe (Cywka 75), Mills, Hunt, Roberts. SNU Andersen, Le Fondre.
HT RFC 2-0 CCFC FT RFC 2-0 CCFC ATT 18006
Referee D.Coote . Assts: J. Amey and D. Bushell.
Booked Clarke,
Goals Jimmy Kebe (26), Jason Roberts (43)
Man Of The Match - Alex Nimely took the votes..
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CITY SUPPORT:
.An excellent turn out of City supporters including plenty of our southern based support as well as the likes of Joe Elliott and Gary Hoffman.
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CITY TEAM NEWS:
.Andy Thorn had Cyrus Christie back and gave a debut to Oliver Norwood who replaced David Bell.
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DIRECTOR WATCH
: Tim Fisher and John Clarke plus Associate Directors David Shortland, Geoff Mann and Noel Hand,
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Joe Murphy was the man to blame as Coventry City crashed to a 2-0 defeat at Reading.
Many Coventry City supporters are coming round to the way of thinking that it is not our fault that the Sky Blues are in the mess they are in, as we have no control over the finances, the team or who actually plays, so we might as well enjoy ourselves at matches and there was a party atmosphere amongst the City support who were prevented from bringing into the ground any SISU Out banners or balloons by the stewards on order of the City Board.
The support welcomed a City team, in their green and black away kit, on to the pitch and for the first fifteen minutes or so, there was some positive stuff from the Sky Blues including a Nimely shot which was blocked before Richard Wood pulled up injured and was replaced in the eighth minute by Jordan Clarke.
Gary Deegan went not far wide in the 14th minute with a cracking drive but Reading with the lively Jimmy Kebe started to come back into the game.
In the 26th minute, the City support were fuming as Jimmy Kebe got the ball on the right and a ball which Joe Murphy decided not to go for, sailed into the far corner of the net.
As the City supporters vented their spleen at the keeper who really should have dealt with this, Clive Platt went up the other end and got the ball off Federici but instead of going for goal, he tried to pick out a City player and gave the ball back to the oppositiion.
Noel Hunt headed wide from the second of two Reading corners before Nimely tried his luck with an over-head kick.
In the 43rd minute, Reading increased their lead when a corner came in, Murphy stood and watched and the ball came off Connolly for Jason Roberts to score from a yard out.
The City supporters, who had not headed for some refreshment, let Murphy have it with both barrels after the keeper looked like he said something as the half-time whistle blew.
"Going Down And Still Singing" sang the City fans as Coventry came out for the second half fired up.
Sammy Clingan, who like a number of players, had been guilty of giving away possession too easily, went off in the 58th minute and on came David Bell.
Alex Nimely, was on a one man crusade to get City back in the game and he hit a stunning shot in the 62nd minute which Federici superbly pushed over.
Gary McSheffrey, who also gave it a good go in the second half, brought another fantastic save from the home keeper with a piledriver two minutes later.
Nimely got in two more shots before the under-fire Andy Thorn sent on Carl Baker for Gary Deegan.
In the 76th minute, Nimely attacked again and had a shot blocked for a corner. Eight minutes later, the loanee from Manchester City was involved again and this time, it was only through Jem Karacan clearing off the line that City did not pull the goal back they deserved.
Back in the stands, the banter between both sets of fans had gone past the lines of acceptable boundaries and we witnessed scenes of fans charging at each other.
Those still watching booed off the team on the final for another preventable defeat and one that makes City's job of trying to play Championship football next season, that bit more difficult.