COVENTRY CITY RESERVES 0-1 WEST HAM UNITED RESERVES BY KEV MONKS
There are times when I question why I watch as many City Reserves games as I do and tonight was one of them as Coventry City Reserves were beaten 1-0 at home by West Ham United.
There are times when I question why I watch as many City Reserves games as I do and tonight was one of them as Coventry City Reserves were beaten 1-0 at home by West Ham United.
By a strange quirk of fate, West Ham were the last reserve team to play at Highfield Road and the first to play at the Arena and both sides fielded young teams with only Wilo Flood and Kevin Thornton having first team experience with the Sky Blues.
There was a reasonable crowd at the Arena for this inaugural reserve team game with spectators housed in the away end whilst the scouts and officials were in the Main stand.
There was a reasonable crowd at the Arena for this inaugural reserve team game with spectators housed in the away end whilst the scouts and officials were in the Main stand.
There was also some singing but one of the songs concerning aimed at the stewards was in poor taste considering that a good number of those on duty had been at the funeral earlier today of one of their colleagues Graham Storey who sadly passed on the morning of the Reading home game.
Luke Webb had an early shot but in the fifth minute,West Ham attacking the CET Stand were ahead. Tony Stokes on the right,fired over a low drive. The ball squirmed past the diving Jonny Tuffey and went into the net.
Seven minutes later,a Sky Blues corner produced a ball fed back to Thornton who crossed for Vijay Sidhu who headed wide.
Jonny Tuffey superbly pushed over a Stokes effort and in the 15th minute,Ben Turner fired wide from a corner.
In the 26th minute, City's best chance of the match saw Craig Reid control the ball,turn a marker, rounded Matt Reed in the Hammers goal to sent the ball from an acute angle goalwards.
Seven minutes later,a Sky Blues corner produced a ball fed back to Thornton who crossed for Vijay Sidhu who headed wide.
Jonny Tuffey superbly pushed over a Stokes effort and in the 15th minute,Ben Turner fired wide from a corner.
In the 26th minute, City's best chance of the match saw Craig Reid control the ball,turn a marker, rounded Matt Reed in the Hammers goal to sent the ball from an acute angle goalwards.
Unfortunately,Ryan Andrews was on hand to clear off the line and hoof the ball away for a corner much to Reid's and the City supporters disappointment.
In fact, it was a disappointing evening in total for the Sky Blues. Liam Davis showed plenty of pace to win a few corners but far too often slipped in a Peter Ndlovu impersonation by trying to beat another defender when a ball inside looked from our vantage point to be the better option.
Wilo Flood had been quiet and was replaced by Aza Ogarro at half-time. The youngster who hails from Birmingham had the first chance of the second half with a long ranger just over.
Twenty minutes in and Kevin Thornton who has been man of the match in the last two games for the reserves,plus the choice of some of the City following who were at Crystal Palace last night, let himself and those calling for him to feature more in the first team matches down by getting sent off.
Twenty minutes in and Kevin Thornton who has been man of the match in the last two games for the reserves,plus the choice of some of the City following who were at Crystal Palace last night, let himself and those calling for him to feature more in the first team matches down by getting sent off.
Thornton reminds me of David Thompson. He has skill a plenty but unfortunately the temperament to match the Blackburn Rovers midfielder as well.
He reacted to a crunching tackle by Zavon Hines and had been awarded a free kick. However, the red mist must have descended. I did not see any punches but referee Ian Scarr felt there was violent conduct and showed Thornton the red card which will see him out for three games and put back the chances of him making his first team league debut for a couple more weeks.
Despite only having ten men, City's back four looked solid with Stuart Wall marshalling the Sky Blues defence well.
By now, the game was exciting as watching paint dry and it was a relief when Mr Scarr blew the final whistle.
HT CCFC 0-1 WHU
FT CCFC 0-1 WHU
Goal Tony Stokes (5)
Sent Off Thornton 66
MOM Stuart Wall
Team
Tuffey,Bains,Lynch (Layfield 73),Flood (Ogarro 46),Turner,Wall,Webb,Thornton (sent off 66),Sidhu (McCrink 81),Reid,Davis
Team
Tuffey,Bains,Lynch (Layfield 73),Flood (Ogarro 46),Turner,Wall,Webb,Thornton (sent off 66),Sidhu (McCrink 81),Reid,Davis
Subs Stringfellow,Gooding
West Ham
Reed,Henry,Andrews,White,Tomkins,Stokes,
West Ham
Reed,Henry,Andrews,White,Tomkins,Stokes,
Reid (Widdowson 80),Cowley,Jeffrey,Hines (Davidson 80),Welsh (Hales 69)
Subs Blackmore