COVENTRY CITY RESERVES 1-0 ARSENAL RESERVES BY KEV MONKS
A goal against his former club by Graham Barrett gave City Reserves their first win of the season and their first victory since March when they also beat Arsenal.
Rugby United
Having only been able to field young players for the opening game at Crystal Palace, Reserves boss Alan Cork named a strong team.
He gave a debut to Clayton Ince,another outing for trialists Andrew Impey and Paul Watson,a second chance for Adie Williams as well as run-outs to Andy Whing,Isaac Osbourne,Andy Morrell and Craig Reid who was back from suspension.
In front of a very large crowd at Butlin Road,well over a thousand. The crowd may have been announced but the pa system at Butlin Road is so poor that,it was impossible to hear, Clayton Ince, made a good stop in the 13th minute,as Arturo Lupoli raced through.
Three minutes later,Graham Barrett did well to knock the ball down for Liam Davis to drill a couple of yards wide.
The next chance City created, also went wide when Neil Wood rose inside the area.
City looked confident going forward,winning two corners before Liam Davis drilled wide in the 32nd minute from twelve yards out.
As the half came to a close,Graham Barrett held off his marker to let Craig Reid get in a shot which Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia saved with relative ease.
Gunners boss Neil Banfield made a change at the break but it was City who started the second half better. Craig Reid fired over from twelve yards before Adie Williams wasted a corner by handling the ball and then Graham Barrett scooped the ball into the hands of Almunia when clean through.
Talking of clean through,the pacy Arturo Lupoli raced onto a lovely precision ball from Anthony Stokes in the 61st minute but thankfully missed the target.
A goal against his former club by Graham Barrett gave City Reserves their first win of the season and their first victory since March when they also beat Arsenal.
Rugby United
Having only been able to field young players for the opening game at Crystal Palace, Reserves boss Alan Cork named a strong team.
He gave a debut to Clayton Ince,another outing for trialists Andrew Impey and Paul Watson,a second chance for Adie Williams as well as run-outs to Andy Whing,Isaac Osbourne,Andy Morrell and Craig Reid who was back from suspension.
In front of a very large crowd at Butlin Road,well over a thousand. The crowd may have been announced but the pa system at Butlin Road is so poor that,it was impossible to hear, Clayton Ince, made a good stop in the 13th minute,as Arturo Lupoli raced through.
Three minutes later,Graham Barrett did well to knock the ball down for Liam Davis to drill a couple of yards wide.
The next chance City created, also went wide when Neil Wood rose inside the area.
City looked confident going forward,winning two corners before Liam Davis drilled wide in the 32nd minute from twelve yards out.
As the half came to a close,Graham Barrett held off his marker to let Craig Reid get in a shot which Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia saved with relative ease.
Gunners boss Neil Banfield made a change at the break but it was City who started the second half better. Craig Reid fired over from twelve yards before Adie Williams wasted a corner by handling the ball and then Graham Barrett scooped the ball into the hands of Almunia when clean through.
Talking of clean through,the pacy Arturo Lupoli raced onto a lovely precision ball from Anthony Stokes in the 61st minute but thankfully missed the target.
Every City player was working hard to prevent Arsenal from doing the same sort of damage that Tommy Black had done six days earlier and although not lethal in front of goal, they were starting to create chances.
The game did need a goal however and it came with twelve minutes left. A long ball was nodded over the Arsenal defence by Andy Morrell for Graham Barrett to keep his cool and slot past the despairing Arsenal keeper.
In the last minute,Clayton Ince made a cracking save from Bentley to ensure that City held on to record their first win in five months.
HT CCFC 0-0 AFC
FT CCFC 1-0 AFC
GOAL Graham Barrett (78)
Booked Adie Williams (persistent misconduct)
In the last minute,Clayton Ince made a cracking save from Bentley to ensure that City held on to record their first win in five months.
HT CCFC 0-0 AFC
FT CCFC 1-0 AFC
GOAL Graham Barrett (78)
Booked Adie Williams (persistent misconduct)
TEAM
Ince,Impey (Wall 79),Watson,Osbourne,
Ince,Impey (Wall 79),Watson,Osbourne,
Williams,Whing,Morrell,Wood,Barrett,Reid,Davis(Sidhu 76). SUBS,Brush,Webb,Thornton
Arsenal
Almunia,Gilbert(Kelly 46),Murphy,Muamba,Connolly,Djourou (Bendtner 45),Stokes,Song,Lupoli,Bentley, Smith Subs Jordon,Simpson,Tracey.
Arsenal
Almunia,Gilbert(Kelly 46),Murphy,Muamba,Connolly,Djourou (Bendtner 45),Stokes,Song,Lupoli,Bentley, Smith Subs Jordon,Simpson,Tracey.