STEVENAGE 1-3 COVENTRY CITY
City: Murphy (GK), Adams, Edjenguele, Wood, Christie, Baker (c), Moussa, Bailey, Jennings (Barton 65), McSheffrey (Fleck 72), McGoldrick.Subs: Dunn (GK), Clarke, O'Donovan, Elliott, Cameron.
Stevenage: Arnold (GK), Gray, Charles, Grant (Agyemang 82), Dunne, Haber, Morais (Freeman 61), Akins, Roberts (c), N'Gala, Shroot (Tarsey 68). Subs: Day (GK), Hills, Comminges, Risser.
HT SFC 1-0 CCFC
FT SFC CCFC
ATT 4102
Goals Louis Akins 30 pen, Richard Wood 78, Carl Baker 88, David McGoldrick 90
Referee D.Whitestone
BooMked Murphy, McGoldrick
Man Of The Match - James Bailey took the votes in our car ahead of David McGoldrick.
______________________
Coventry City came to give their supporters some festive fun by coming back to win 3-1 at Stevenage FC.
With news that no agreement had been agreed over the Ricoh Arena rent and that Arena Coventry Limited were persuing their legal redress, the Sky Blues travelled to Stevenage on a grey Boxing Day.
It was raining as we filed into the Lamex Stadium after enjoying Stevenage's bar, along with many of the City support and saw City, in their yellow kit, take to the field include birthday boy Carl Baker in the starting line up at the expense of Adam Barton,
Within the opening seconds, David McGoldrick race through but Arnold blocked his shot.
The side, who four Christmases ago were playing Conference football won two quick free kicks, the second of which was sent over the bar by Morias.
In the ninth minute, City were denied a free kick, Gray got down the right, past the assistant referee and crossed for Akins to fire over the bar.
David McGoldrick was a handful up front, causing problems as did a 20th minute McSheffrey shot from twenty yards.
As the ease at which referee Mr Whitestone awarded free kicks to the home side who won their first corner in the 26th minute. Thankfully, Franck Moussa eventually scrambled the ball away.
Then, the City fans and players were fuming when Carl Baker was adjudged to have impeded Morais, something the City support could clearly see was outside the area, and Mr Whitestone pointed to the spot.
Akins scored from the first kick but it was ordered to be re-taken and he beat Murphy before rushing to the right hand corner in front of the City support along with his team mates who made a number of gestures towards the 1086 strong City support .
City came back with a few chances of their own including a 40th minute corner before the referee was booed off at the break by the City support who were one down following the ejection of one for making a racist gesture and one for being drunk.
After half time was spent wading though pools of urine in the toilets - that's what you get for League One football rent Joy Seppala, the Sky Blues started the second half more positively.
Unfortunately, the bizarre decisions from Mr Whitestone continue to infuritate the City support and the chants of "You Don't Know What You Are Doing" which boomed out of the away end just before the break were heard again.
With twenty five minutes left and the time wasting of the Hertfordshire side knowing no bounds, Adam Barton came on for Steve Jennings.
The ball was not running for City, so Mark Robins sent on Fleck for McSheffrey, who, had his head bandaged following another unpunished incident.
David McGoldrick got into the box in the 73rd minute but Arnold pulled off a great save from his close range effort.
Five minutes later, City got a corner. A Fleck shot was fumbled by Arnold and Richard Wood tapped the loose ball in the empty net and raced to celebrate with the City fans.
With four to go, Fleck did his marker up like a kipper but this time Arnold and a defender cleared.
Stevenage had a corner. City went up the other end and Carl Baker hit a cracking twenty yarder which flew past Arnold on his left.
We were still celebrating when David McGoldrick got through and from 25 yards out lobbed Arnold. He took his shirt off in celebration and was booked which means he now not only has broken his record of scoring in consecutive away games but amassed five bookings and a one game suspension.
The final whistle blew shortly afterwards leaving the delighted players to celebrate another club record in their fifth consecutive league away victory with the City support.