PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 1-1 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City were robbed by a referee who invented five minutes of stoppage and cost the Sky Blues a needed victory at Plymouth Argyle.
On a day when St George was doing battle in the Precinct with The Dragon, the Sky Blue Army set off down the M5 to the one time home of Sir Walter Raleigh.
Micky Adams brought back Andy Whing and gave Stern John a start after his excellent equalising goal against Wolves. Back also was Skipper Stephen Hughes who slotted back into midfield.
Plymouth who fielded Coventry kid Luke McCormick in goal but not Bjarni Gudjonsson, gave a big crowd at Home Park some hope as they looked the better side in the early stages.
Michael Foot's favourite team won five corners in the opening eighteen minutes whilst all City could manage was an over head kick by Stern John.
Andy Whing and Robert Page were marshalling the defence well, this allowed Steve Staunton to get down the left wing and deliver a long 39th minute cross which was hacked away for a corner.
On the stroke of half-time,the thousand City supporters plus another 448 who found that they could in fact pay on the day at the Pilgrims ticket office, were going mental when STERN JOHN kept his cool inside the penalty area to give the Sky Blues the lead after Dele Adebola capitalised on a Wotton lack of concentration.
Attacking the end where the City supporters and their excellent display of Coventry/St George flags were housed, Andy Whing delivered a cross in the opening seconds of the second half and Adebola's close range shot forced McCormick to save.
Gloucestershire based referee Lee Probert had been awarding the home side a number of questionable decisions and cautioned Michael Doyle for what looked like kicking the ball away after one was given in the 48th minute.
Four minutes later,Adams decided to change the attack and brought on Shaun Goater for Dele Adebola.
The Goat again looked like he had been put out to graze,as it was Stern John who looked the most likely to score for the Sky Blues.
In the 63rd minute,a run out of defence saw McSheffrey find John. Despite John being in a good position,he unselfishly passed to the former Manchester City striker but Goater was not awake and much to the disgust of the City support,his attempt at a flick was easily dealt with.
With Lloyd Dyer being replaced by Claus Jorgensen, the City supporters who were engaging in some good natured banter with a Plymouth fan,were incensed like the players when a free kick was awarded. Michael Doyle kicked the ball back to a Plymouth player so that play could commence, but for some reason, Mr Probert took the ball ten yards forward. Stephen Hughes and Richard Duffy, neither of whom look likely to be at Highfield Road next season protested and were cautioned.
Stern John left to a standing ovation from the noisy City support when he was replaced by Trevor Benjamin with seven minutes to go.
As the game headed towards the ninety minute mark, a minimum of five minutes stoppage time was announced.
Where this came from, I do not know. But in the fourth minute of this extra period,a scandalous tackle by sub Tony Capaldi flattened Stephen Hughes. No action was taken and just over two minutes later, Capaldi had earned Plymouth a point when he scored from inside the penalty area.
The City players went mad,surrounding the referee whilst sky blue supporters had to be prevented by the police and stewards from either getting at the referee or the mocking home supporters stood on the terrace to our left.
Micky Adams joined the players protesting and it took a number of stewards to escort the referee off the pitch.
Outside the grounds, things were equally heated with one arrest and the hilarious sight of a Plymouth fan dressed as a dragon fighting with police to try and get at some City supporters.
As I made my way back to our car, parked in the large free car park (Coventry City Council & Arena Coventry Ltd please note), I was nearly knocked down by the suited driver of a green Jaguar,cleared driving without due care and attention and more concerned with trying to force his way nearer the exit than bothering about where he was going.
Coventry City were robbed by a referee who invented five minutes of stoppage and cost the Sky Blues a needed victory at Plymouth Argyle.
On a day when St George was doing battle in the Precinct with The Dragon, the Sky Blue Army set off down the M5 to the one time home of Sir Walter Raleigh.
Micky Adams brought back Andy Whing and gave Stern John a start after his excellent equalising goal against Wolves. Back also was Skipper Stephen Hughes who slotted back into midfield.
Plymouth who fielded Coventry kid Luke McCormick in goal but not Bjarni Gudjonsson, gave a big crowd at Home Park some hope as they looked the better side in the early stages.
Michael Foot's favourite team won five corners in the opening eighteen minutes whilst all City could manage was an over head kick by Stern John.
Andy Whing and Robert Page were marshalling the defence well, this allowed Steve Staunton to get down the left wing and deliver a long 39th minute cross which was hacked away for a corner.
On the stroke of half-time,the thousand City supporters plus another 448 who found that they could in fact pay on the day at the Pilgrims ticket office, were going mental when STERN JOHN kept his cool inside the penalty area to give the Sky Blues the lead after Dele Adebola capitalised on a Wotton lack of concentration.
Attacking the end where the City supporters and their excellent display of Coventry/St George flags were housed, Andy Whing delivered a cross in the opening seconds of the second half and Adebola's close range shot forced McCormick to save.
Gloucestershire based referee Lee Probert had been awarding the home side a number of questionable decisions and cautioned Michael Doyle for what looked like kicking the ball away after one was given in the 48th minute.
Four minutes later,Adams decided to change the attack and brought on Shaun Goater for Dele Adebola.
The Goat again looked like he had been put out to graze,as it was Stern John who looked the most likely to score for the Sky Blues.
In the 63rd minute,a run out of defence saw McSheffrey find John. Despite John being in a good position,he unselfishly passed to the former Manchester City striker but Goater was not awake and much to the disgust of the City support,his attempt at a flick was easily dealt with.
With Lloyd Dyer being replaced by Claus Jorgensen, the City supporters who were engaging in some good natured banter with a Plymouth fan,were incensed like the players when a free kick was awarded. Michael Doyle kicked the ball back to a Plymouth player so that play could commence, but for some reason, Mr Probert took the ball ten yards forward. Stephen Hughes and Richard Duffy, neither of whom look likely to be at Highfield Road next season protested and were cautioned.
Stern John left to a standing ovation from the noisy City support when he was replaced by Trevor Benjamin with seven minutes to go.
As the game headed towards the ninety minute mark, a minimum of five minutes stoppage time was announced.
Where this came from, I do not know. But in the fourth minute of this extra period,a scandalous tackle by sub Tony Capaldi flattened Stephen Hughes. No action was taken and just over two minutes later, Capaldi had earned Plymouth a point when he scored from inside the penalty area.
The City players went mad,surrounding the referee whilst sky blue supporters had to be prevented by the police and stewards from either getting at the referee or the mocking home supporters stood on the terrace to our left.
Micky Adams joined the players protesting and it took a number of stewards to escort the referee off the pitch.
Outside the grounds, things were equally heated with one arrest and the hilarious sight of a Plymouth fan dressed as a dragon fighting with police to try and get at some City supporters.
As I made my way back to our car, parked in the large free car park (Coventry City Council & Arena Coventry Ltd please note), I was nearly knocked down by the suited driver of a green Jaguar,cleared driving without due care and attention and more concerned with trying to force his way nearer the exit than bothering about where he was going.
I attempted to debate the matter with the passenger in the rear of the car who found this episode highly amusing but he simply locked the doors and told his driver to speed away,not before I had noted his registration.
The draw means that a last ever home league victory at Highfield Road and something from the trip to Crewe are still required.
Ht PAFC 0-1 CCFC FT PAFC 1-1 CCFC
Att 18433
Goal Stern John (45), Tony Capaldi (97)
Booked Doyle,Hughes,Duffy.
Man Of The Match - Take your pick from Andy Whing,Stephen Hughes,Stern John,Michael Doyle or Robert Page.
TEAM
TEAM
Steele,Whing,Duffy,Staunton,Page,Dyer (Jorgensen 66),Hughes, Doyle, McSheffrey, John (Benjamin 83),Adebola (Goater 52) SNU Pressman,Whing