SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 2-0 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
Date 17/10/09 At Hillsborough Championship
Team
Westwood, Wright, Ward, Turner, van Aanholt, Cork, Osbourne, Gunnarsson (Eastwood 56), McIndoe (Cain 71), Morrison, Best SNU Cranie, Grandison, Konstantoplous, Walker
Sheff Wed
Grant, Buxton, Purse, Beevers, Spurr, Johnson (Miller 93), Potter, O'Connor, Gray (McAllister 76), Clarke (Sodje 73), Varney. SNU O'Donnell, Simek, Jeffers, Hinds
HT SWFC 2-0 CCFC FT SWFC 2-0 CCFC ATT 20,026
Goals Darren Purse (4), Leon Clarke (19 pen)
Referee Colin Webster Booked Ward, Clarke, Beavers,
Man Of The Match Very hard to give one but Patrick van Aanholt took the votes.
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Coventry City were left to rue some poor defending and some equally poor refereeing as they crashed to a 2-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.
There was a very good turnout of around 1500 City supporters in the Leppings Lane stand at a Hillsborough Stadium, which reckons it should be part of the England 2018 World Cup bid.
Since the Disaster, Hillsborough has been noted for being away fan unfriendly and the latest ruse that riled some of the Sky Blue Army was the refusal to admit flags due to them being a fire hazard, despite home fans being allowed them (hmmm lost count how times I have seen a flag spontaneously combust).
Those unhappy at this joined the rest of us in the stand on a cloudy day in S6, as the match kicked off with the Sky Blues wearing black shirts and sky blue shorts, fielding a side that included fit again Ben Turner,Michael McIndoe and Aron Gunnarson who at least had some match practice playing for Iceland against South Africa.
Within three and a half minutes of the first whistle, there were storm clouds amongst the City support as Coventry went a goal down.
A corner was conceded and nobody picked up Darren Purse who banged the ball into the net from close range to delight the home fans in the Kop.
McIndoe had the ball in the net shortly after but City, who missed the abilty of Sammy Clingan to put their foot on the ball and do something creative with it, failed to really test the home defence or keeper.
In the 18th minute, James O'Connor got the ball just inside the area. He looked to go down first to an Elliott Ward tackle and then finally when Ward tackled him again, down he went.
Referee Mr Webster awarded a penalty, which saw Leon Clarke send Keiren Westwood the wrong way and put Wednesday 2-0 up.
"Coleman Sort It Out" demanded the City fans but all we got was hit and hope football.
In the 25th minute, Grant did have to make a save when he punched away a Gunnarsson volley.
Cork fired over before the assistant referee Darren Bond on the touchline to our left, incurred the wrath of the sky blues support when he pulled Leon Best up for an offside which no-one else could fathom out.
As we approached stoppage time at the end of the first half, there was a complete furore. The ball came over and Leon Best got in a header inside the six-yard box. The ball from our lofty vantage point looked a yard over the line when Lee Grant used his hands to scoop the ball back over the line.
We all jumped up, the City players all thought they had scored but there was nothing from the referee and linesman who were taunted by the City support and confronted by some of the City players after the half time whistle had been blown. Even the local radio back up our claims but 2-0 it was.
Going in at 2-1 down would have been game on for the Sky Blues but today, it seemed that not every player was up for getting City back in the match.
There were howls of derision every time Mr Webster gave City a free kick but in the 56th minute, a bad afternoon got worse when Aron Gunnarsson was clattered by Leon Clarke. The Icelander rejected Clarke's attempts to try and get up. It was clear to see that he was in pain with what looked a possible broken leg and eventually a stretcher was summoned and he was dispatched to hospital.
Freddie Eastwood came on and played in three different positions in 15 minutes.
In the 61st minute, every one was howling for a penalty when Leon Best was sent crashing. It looked a good shout and even the referee blew for the penalty but the Derbyshire based assistant Alan Parker on the Main Stand side said there was an offside and Mr Webster went with that.
"You're Not Fit To Referee" and "2-0 To The Referee" sang the City supporters before Michael McIndoe, who clearly has still to win over some of the City support was replaced by Ashley Cain.
Patrick van Aanholt who at least showed some fight late on, had a chance along with Cork and Osbourne before Morrison's late shot on the turn dipped just over the bar.
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