COVENTRY CITY 1-0 LUTON TOWN BY KEV MONKS
This may be the Sky Blue winter of discontent but there was a ray of sunshine as Coventry City beat Luton 1-0 at the Arena.
In a week where a training ground incident and the sale of leading scorer Stern John deflected attention from who is going to be the next City manager, Adrian Heath,seen by many as part of the problem rather than the solution, named a side that was without Robert Page and Michael Doyle who had both been sent home.
Heath said he was not sure they were in the right frame of mind after their training ground bust-up and also said that this was the biggest game of the season for the Sky Blues.
To be fair,the man widely tipped not to be the next City manager, had a good point as with season ticket holders able to bring a friend free of charge,the need to turn these supporters into diehards was imperative and the way to do it was with a victory which would stop City being sucked closer to the relegation zone.
With Michael Mifsud in attack with Isaac Osbourne came back into midfield whilst Colin Hawkins making his debut some ten years after he was released by City.
The first half was dreadful with neither keeper having anything to particularly worry them. When he was needed,Luton keeper David Brill was quick off his line, thwarting Adebola who made a couple of good runs and had a 41st minute shot saved.
David McNamee and Colin Hawkins worked well together at the back as a rejuvenated City pushed forward after the break. It took fifteen minutes for City's first real attempt on goal when Michael Mifsud drove wide from thirteen yards.
Two minutes later,Heath went for a double change bringing on Kyle and McKenzie. It proved the turning point of the match. Kevin Thornton also came on and in the 76th minute,he found Leon McKenzie on the right hand side of the six yard area, who smacked the ball into the net.
The goal drew a huge sigh of relief and only the right hand of Brill stopped Marcus Hall from heading home a Thornton cross in the 83rd minute.
Mike Newall's side had been badly affected by injury and were poor alnight. They won a couple of late corners but City held firm and were able to savour their first victory in ten matches.
HT CCFC 0-0 LTFC FT CCFC 1-0 LTFC ATT 18,871.
Goal Leon McKenzie (76) Booked Kevin Kyle.David McNamee,Colin Hawkins.
Team
Steele,Whing,Hall,Hawkins,McNamee,Hughes,Birchall (McKenzie 62),Osbourne (Thornton 72),Mifsud,Adebola (Kyle 62),Tabb Subs Lee- Barrett,Virgo.
Luton
Brill,Foley,Davis,Perrett,Spring,Robinson,Morgan, Emanuel (Boyd 81), Keane,Bell,Talbot. SNU Barrett,O'Leary, Langely,Asafu-Adjaye.