COVENTRY CITY 1-1 SOUTHEND UNITED BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City halted a three game run of defeats but were booed off the field after a 1-1 draw with Southend United.
For this match which was unlosable following the defeat against Ipswich on Boxing Day, under-fire City boss Micky Adams went for wholesale changes.
With Richard Duffy and Clive Clarke picking up knocks in the defeat on Tuesday, Andy Whing who had been called a week early from his loan at Brighton came into the back four alongside Robert Page.
Darren Currie and Chris Birchall were given midfield slots with Kevin Kyle partnering Leon McKenzie up front.
The defeat against Ipswich had wiped six thousand off the gate with only 16,623 tickets being sold. 922 of which were taken by the Southend supporters in the away end.
Another factor which may have put some supporters off attending was the rain which started in Coventry around noon and was heavy for the entire game.
Those who did attend were reasonably supportive of the side in the opening period as the Sky Blues took an eleventh minute lead.
Coventry had just won their first corner of the game. Darren Currie sent over a corner which was met by the right boot of Elliott Ward who volley home from eight yards.
It was the perfect start against a side bottom in the division and I watched alongside supporters from Norway and South Wales in anticipation of City taking the game to Southend and finishing them off early.
Unfortunately,it was not to be. Jemal Campbell-Ryce brought a good save from Andy Marshall straight after the goal and in the 27th minute,delivered a cross for Lee Bradbury. Thankfully, Andy Marshall was alert and threw himself at the ball to prevent a certain goal.
When City who last played Southend at home in a league game in 1964,did get the ball,they passed it around reasonably well with Currie and McKenzie both sending telling balls in to the penalty area and causing panic amongst a Southend side which included former Sky Blue Peter Clarke.
Andy Whing also provided some attacking options down the right and with Page and Ward having solid games, both City's full backs were able to attack on a more frequent basis.
A couple of corners came to nothing but with five minutes of the half left, the hard-working Marcus Hall had to make a superb block to concede a corner.
Two minutes later and the Southend fans thought they had drawn level. Lee Bradbury drove a low shot from inside the area. It looked harmless enough but the ball skidded through Marshall's hands and crept towards the goal. Just as the ball got to the line, Marshall got back to push the ball away with his right fist and City were off the hook.
Half-time was not what City needed. Steve Tilson's eleven came out fighting and Marshall had to palm away a looping and deflected shot for a corner which Adam Barrett nodded wide,three minutes after the restart.
In the 50th minute, there was a chant of "You Don't Know What You Are Doing" but it was aimed at referee Mr Whitestone who decided that a shove by Clarke on Leon McKenzie only merited a corner not a penalty the City support were correctly claiming.
Adam Barrett, who had Kevin Kyle in his back pocket all afternoon,being braver and quicker to the tackle or header,cleared the danger but when the ball came back in a neat one two fell for Stephen Hughes to get in a shot which Flahaven saved with his legs.
City could have been three up at this point but in the 54th minute, the visitors drew level when a break by Hammell down the left found Mark Gower who sent a low drive into the back of the net.
Two more corners were won by City before Kevin Kyle stupidly talked himself into the book when he fell over as did his marker and the referee gave the visitors a free kick. Kyle got up,said something and was cautioned for it.
In the 67th minute, Southend sent on their danger man Freddie Eastwood who had been suffering with an ear and throat infection and was only fit enough to start on the bench.
A minute later and the highly rated striker who scored twice against City earlier in the season forced Andy Marshall into a tremendous save with a bullet header.
With twenty to go, Micky Adams made his first change of the afternoon with Dele Adebola coming on for Chris Birchall.
Flahaven punched away a Currie free kick before there was thunderous applause for Isaac Osbourne when he came onto replace Stephen Hughes.
In the 77th minute, Jay Tabb was also well received when he replaced Leon McKenzie who had picked up a painful right shoulder when he was shoved by Clarke earlier in the game.
Mr Whitestone had given some strange decisions during the game and was getting a number of boos from some of the East Stand as a well executed 83rd minute move from the visitors saw the ball go across the face of the goal.
The new City players on the pitch started to encourage their fellow players to keep attacking. With six to go, Jay Tabb crossed from the right for Darren Currie who launched a volley from the edge of the area which Flahaven. somehow pushed over the bar.
City pilled on the pressure with a couple of corners and a superb cross from Whing finding Adebola who was blocked as he tried to shoot.
The Nigerian striker was cautioned just before the final whistle which brought a loud chorus of booing from many of the disgruntled City supporters who left unhappy that City won this game.
HT CCFC 1-0 SUFC
FT CCFC 1-1 SUFC
Goals Elliott Ward (11), Mark Gower (54)
Referee D.Whitestone Booked Kyle,Adebola
Team
Marshall,Whing,Hall,Page,Ward, Hughes (Osbourne 73),Doyle,Birchall (Adebola 70),Currie,McKenzie (Tabb 77),Kyle SNU Cameron,Virgo
Southend
Flahaven, Hunt,Barrett,Gower,Maher,Bradbury, Clarke,Campbell-Ryce,Hammell,Harrold (Eastwood 67), McCormack (Francis 80) SNU Welch,Hooper,Riera