WALSALL 0-2 COVENTRY CITY
City: Allsop, Pennington, Phillips (Finch 77), Willis, Haynes, C.Thomas, Fleck, O'Brien, Jackson (Barton 79), Nouble. Tudgay. Subs: Burge, Webster, Swanson, Maddison, G.Thomas.
Walsall: O'Donnell,Taylor, O'Connor, Downing, A. Chambers. Baxendale (Benning 66), Cain, J.Chambers (Pukiss 72), Forde (Manset 83), Bradshaw. Sawyers. Subs: Flanagan, Grimes. Henry, MacGillvary.
HT WFC 0-0 CCFC FT WFC 0-2 CCFC ATT 5930
Goals Jim O'Brien 5, Marcus Tudgay 87
Referee C.Boyeson
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Coventry City got 2015 off to a great start with a 2-0 win at Walsall.
With Gary Madine and Matt Pennington extending their loans, the Sky Blue Army set off for Walsall, the nearest away league game of the season.
City sold their inital allocation of 1450 tickets, meaning an excellent turnout of City supporters against a team whose directors are respected by many City supporters for having the guts and good business sense to stand up to SISU and tell them where they could stick their ground-sharing plans, some eighteen months ago.
The 1772 strong City support, which included former City captain Carl Baker and supporters from as far away as Germany, but not one youngster who was prevented by police from trying to get in, many of whom had gone by train, saw a City side with three changes with Jordan Willis in for Arron Martin and Marcus Tudgay in for Gary Madine plus a very late change with Andy Webster being ill and having to be replaced by Aaron Phillips.
The game got underway under a bit of blue sky with City defending the goal where the City support were for the first half.
In the third minute City won a corner and then when the ball went to O'Brien who was fouled and a penalty awarded.
Upstepped Marcus Tudgay but his kick went straight at the Saddlers keeper and the ball was cleared.
However, City soon got the ball and it was played to Jim O'Brien on the right, some twenty yards out and he hit an absolute stormer which flew into the net to give City the lead and their first goal in a first half in ten matches.
Walsall had a shot saved before the referee used his magic spray for a free kick that saw Allsop save from Forde in the tenth minute.
Bradshaw fired high into the away end with its restrictive pillars, three minutes later and that was followed by one from Fleck.
Tudgay had a 21st minute header pushed away by O'Donnell and in the next attack, Frank Nouble won City a corner. The ball came in and O'Donnell made a great reaction save with his feet to deny a City side looking the most fired up they have been in a while.
Not a lot people know that Michael Cain had a 26th minute shot at Allsop whilst Jordan Willis had Bradshaw in his back pocket.
Taylor sent over a free kick on the half hour mark and O'Brien cleared a corner three minute later as the Saddlers closed down the Sky Blues, who had John Fleck working hard, in midfield.
Baxendale headed tamely wide as City controlled the play to go in at half-time ahead.
The Saddlers won the first corner of the second half but that was dealt with by a City defence who allowed a dangerous ball across the box a minute later following a good Allsop save.
With a full moon in clear view from the away end, Walsall struck Allsops' left hand post through Forde and then again three minutes later.
The ironic of cheering of free kicks was keeping the City fans amused until a very late offside decision against Nouble and then failing to punish Sawyers who retaliated after a heavy challenge from Conor Thomas.
In the 77th minute, Aaron Phillips went down and had to be switched for Jack Finch. Two minutes later, Barton came on for Jackson.
The Saddlers, who looked a poor team for one that was talking about a play-off spot this week, had a couple of chances before they brought on former City striker Mathieu Manset to boos and jeers from the City support.
In the 86th minute, City won two corners and when the second came in there was Marcus Tudgay with the easiest of headers from a couple of foot out to head into the net and delight the City support with their first away win of 2015.