COVENTRY CITY 1-4 CRYSTAL PALACE BY KEV MONKS
At times,Coventry City are their own worst enemies. They had done their best to increase the attendance by offering cheaper tickets, only for those who bought these tickets to be streaming out of the ground way before the final whistle of a 4-1 home defeat by Crystal Palace.
For the visit of the Surrey based side relegated from the Premiership last season.Micky Adams brought back Dele Adebola,Richard Shaw and gave a debut to Lillian Nallis,who had joined on a month's loan from Sheffield United.
Attacking the CET stand for the first time in a first half,City were under pressure from two early corners and the second put The Eagles ahead.
In the thirteenth minute,Marco Reich had recovered enough after claiming he was fouled to win a corner. A lovely flag kick found Jobi McAnuff on the edge of the area. The former Wimbledon winger fired goalwards with Darren Ward getting the final touch as the ball went into the net,to delight a large Palace support who were miffed they had to pay £6 more than some City supporters.
Against his former club, Richard Shaw was in fine form and did well in the 20th minute,to block a McAnuff effort.
With Nallis taking the playmaker's role, James Scowcroft was pushed up front with Adebola,whilst McSheffrey filled in behind the front two.
It looked a good tactic as Scowcroft was able to get in positions to shoot.
The first City corner came in the 29th minute but was easily dealt with by a Palace side happy to break when the opportunity arose.
Six minutes before the interval,a superbly swung in free kick from Stephen Hughes was hacked off the line before Scowcroft won the first of two corners.
A third followed in the 44th minute. Hughes took the kick and found Matt Heath who headed home from eight yards.
City were level for just over a minute when a free kick was nodded home by Clinton Morrison.
In order to avoiding a carpeting from Coventry City Council,Arena Coventry Limited had brought in a no smoking ban at the Arena. In order to compensate those who smoke,designated smoking areas were proposed.
Against his former club, Richard Shaw was in fine form and did well in the 20th minute,to block a McAnuff effort.
With Nallis taking the playmaker's role, James Scowcroft was pushed up front with Adebola,whilst McSheffrey filled in behind the front two.
It looked a good tactic as Scowcroft was able to get in positions to shoot.
The first City corner came in the 29th minute but was easily dealt with by a Palace side happy to break when the opportunity arose.
Six minutes before the interval,a superbly swung in free kick from Stephen Hughes was hacked off the line before Scowcroft won the first of two corners.
A third followed in the 44th minute. Hughes took the kick and found Matt Heath who headed home from eight yards.
City were level for just over a minute when a free kick was nodded home by Clinton Morrison.
In order to avoiding a carpeting from Coventry City Council,Arena Coventry Limited had brought in a no smoking ban at the Arena. In order to compensate those who smoke,designated smoking areas were proposed.
However,this turned out to be more of the half-truths we have come to expect from Mr Fletcher and those connected with A.C.L. who treat the Sky Blues as second class citizens in their own stadium and left normally law-abiding supporters who wanted a half-time cigarette cowering in corners,trying to get a sneaky smoke in,something about as welcome as the blasting of Queens "We Will Rock You" from the tannoy early in the first half.
Micky Adams used the break to make a change and gave Frenchman Youseff Sofiane a debut.
The Frenchman was involved straight away, playing in Gary McSheffrey who had his effort from nine yards superbly pushed over one handedly by the jogging bottom attired Gabor Kiraly.
With the sun starting to dip behind the away end, referee Alan Wiley cautioned the industrious Nallis for holding.
In the 57th minute,the Palace fans were certainly getting their monies worth when some completely rank defending by City allowed Ben Watson to stab in from four yards.
Gary McSheffrey,Adebola and Sofiane all had efforts which did not threaten before Adams made a second change with Claus Jorgensen coming on for James Scowcroft.
The Frenchman was involved straight away, playing in Gary McSheffrey who had his effort from nine yards superbly pushed over one handedly by the jogging bottom attired Gabor Kiraly.
With the sun starting to dip behind the away end, referee Alan Wiley cautioned the industrious Nallis for holding.
In the 57th minute,the Palace fans were certainly getting their monies worth when some completely rank defending by City allowed Ben Watson to stab in from four yards.
Gary McSheffrey,Adebola and Sofiane all had efforts which did not threaten before Adams made a second change with Claus Jorgensen coming on for James Scowcroft.
Such was the annoyance at another very poor Sky Blues performance that some City fans in a crowd of 24,438 were heading for home when McSheffrey won a 72nd minute free kick. McSheffrey stepped up and saw his twenty yarder parried away for a corner which was flicked wide by the head of Claus Jorgensen.
City who are considering moving the home game versus Stoke to November 12th the same day England play Argentina in Geneva, should have been 4-1 down five minutes later when McAnuff fired wide from close range after being given the run of the park.
Things started to go from bad to worse. Palace decided to bring on England international Andy Johnson just before Adams made his final change bringing on Andy Morrell.
Then with eight minutes to go and the crowd streaming out, Claus Jorgensen was obviously annoyed by something and was sent off for foul and abusive language.
It was not the Sky Blues wanted nor was another goal deep in stoppage time when a good move saw Bywater block a Johnson effort with his feet and the ball fall for Jon Macken to tap home.
Not surprisingly,some very justified boos rang out on the final whistle around the Arena for what was a very poor performance and one which could be costly for the club who have to persuade those who bought the cheaper tickets to come back for the next home game in a fortnight.
HT CCFC 1-2 CPFC
FT CCFC 1-4 CPFC
ATT 24,438
Goals
Darren Ward (13).Matt Heath (44),Clinton Morrison (45),Ben Watson (57),Jon Macken (92)
Booked
Lillian Nallis (47)
Sent off Jorgensen 82
FT CCFC 1-4 CPFC
ATT 24,438
Goals
Darren Ward (13).Matt Heath (44),Clinton Morrison (45),Ben Watson (57),Jon Macken (92)
Booked
Lillian Nallis (47)
Sent off Jorgensen 82
Team
Bywater,Duffy,Hall,Heath,Shaw,Doyle,Nallis,Scowcroft (Jorgensen 68),Adebola (Morrell 79), McSheffrey,Hughes (Sofiane 46). Subs Flood,Whing.
Palace
Kiraly,Ward,McAnuff,Freedman (Macken 86), Morrison (Johnson 78),Watson (Hughes 61),Soares,Butterfield,Boyce,Reich,Hall
Sub Sporoni,Hudson,
Bywater,Duffy,Hall,Heath,Shaw,Doyle,Nallis,Scowcroft (Jorgensen 68),Adebola (Morrell 79), McSheffrey,Hughes (Sofiane 46). Subs Flood,Whing.
Palace
Kiraly,Ward,McAnuff,Freedman (Macken 86), Morrison (Johnson 78),Watson (Hughes 61),Soares,Butterfield,Boyce,Reich,Hall
Sub Sporoni,Hudson,