DERBY COUNTY 2-2 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City yet again proved that they have not got out of the habit of throwing away matches as they conceded two late goals to draw at Derby.
A trip to the drab,dreary Pride Park stadium where away supporters are very much unwanted visitors,is one City away game that I don't look forward to.
Despite only being fifteen minutes walk,from the centre of the most haunted city in Britain, the openness of the area makes it one of the coldest grounds in the division.
And cold it was as we made our way in to the ground to discover that Peter Reid fielded the same team that had lost to Crewe.
Against a Derby side minus the City legend Mo Konjic who was close to tears when he met City supporters prior to kick off, City pressurised early and should have been awarded a sixth minute penalty. Richard Jackson shoved Adie Williams in the penalty area following Steve Staunton free kick being punted forward.
Both sides were creating chances with Gary McSheffrey firing wide and Derby winning a 14th minute corner.
Three minutes later,a free kick from Inigo Idiakez was swung over and Luke Steele saved with his feet with from a Johnson header.
City came back and were ahead in the 21st minute when a cross from Morrell was headed back by Jeff Kenna. It fell for STEPHEN HUGHES who drilled a low shot in to the net.
The 1500 strong City support literally had the stand rocking as they celebrated a well executed strike.
On the half hour mark, City who were playing some flowing football put together a three man move to find McSheffrey who hit a low shot that Rams keeper Lee Camp dived to his right to beat away.
The only Derby player who looked in form was Gregorz Rasiak. A bit of showboating later,he ran into a good position before letting himself down with a very tame shot at Steele.
The mood amongst the City fans at the interval was upbeat as Derby were forced to make a change after Michael Johnson lost a tooth and former Villa and Port Vale striker Ian Taylor started the second half.
Adebola and Johnson wasted early chances before Derby boss Craig Burley decided to throw on Paul Pescisolido.
City were firmly in control and in the 72nd minute,Andy Morrell won a corner,Taylor's attempt at a clearance fell for Steve Staunton to thunder a shot against the foot of Camp's right hand posted.
Graham Barrett replaced Gary McSheffrey in the 78th minute and the change brought instant success as Dele Adebola was picked out on the right. The Nigerian advanced,kept his cool to unleash a stunning shot into the net,from eight yards.
Reid made a second change in the 84th minute with Suffo coming on for the popular Eddy Johnson.
Coventry City yet again proved that they have not got out of the habit of throwing away matches as they conceded two late goals to draw at Derby.
A trip to the drab,dreary Pride Park stadium where away supporters are very much unwanted visitors,is one City away game that I don't look forward to.
Despite only being fifteen minutes walk,from the centre of the most haunted city in Britain, the openness of the area makes it one of the coldest grounds in the division.
And cold it was as we made our way in to the ground to discover that Peter Reid fielded the same team that had lost to Crewe.
Against a Derby side minus the City legend Mo Konjic who was close to tears when he met City supporters prior to kick off, City pressurised early and should have been awarded a sixth minute penalty. Richard Jackson shoved Adie Williams in the penalty area following Steve Staunton free kick being punted forward.
Both sides were creating chances with Gary McSheffrey firing wide and Derby winning a 14th minute corner.
Three minutes later,a free kick from Inigo Idiakez was swung over and Luke Steele saved with his feet with from a Johnson header.
City came back and were ahead in the 21st minute when a cross from Morrell was headed back by Jeff Kenna. It fell for STEPHEN HUGHES who drilled a low shot in to the net.
The 1500 strong City support literally had the stand rocking as they celebrated a well executed strike.
On the half hour mark, City who were playing some flowing football put together a three man move to find McSheffrey who hit a low shot that Rams keeper Lee Camp dived to his right to beat away.
The only Derby player who looked in form was Gregorz Rasiak. A bit of showboating later,he ran into a good position before letting himself down with a very tame shot at Steele.
The mood amongst the City fans at the interval was upbeat as Derby were forced to make a change after Michael Johnson lost a tooth and former Villa and Port Vale striker Ian Taylor started the second half.
Adebola and Johnson wasted early chances before Derby boss Craig Burley decided to throw on Paul Pescisolido.
City were firmly in control and in the 72nd minute,Andy Morrell won a corner,Taylor's attempt at a clearance fell for Steve Staunton to thunder a shot against the foot of Camp's right hand posted.
Graham Barrett replaced Gary McSheffrey in the 78th minute and the change brought instant success as Dele Adebola was picked out on the right. The Nigerian advanced,kept his cool to unleash a stunning shot into the net,from eight yards.
Reid made a second change in the 84th minute with Suffo coming on for the popular Eddy Johnson.
By now, Pride Park was emptying at an ever increasing rate with Derby supporters feeling that it was not going to be their day.
However, with three minutes left, City's defence were ripped apart as a ball was threaded through for Gregorz Rasiak to run on and drill the ball low in to the far corner of the net.
"Right just hold on", we thought as Suffo won a corner. Suffo attempted to keep the ball in the corner and play it off a defender for another flag kick but succeeded in kicking it to the home keeper and left Andy Morrell who had come up to help the Cameroonian scowling in disgust.
This was banged up field, it fell to Paul Peschisolido who rounded Steele and fired into the empty net.
With the few remaining Derby fans now giving it the biggie,we were left to stew over another two points dropped.
HT DCFC 0-1 CCFC FT DCFC 2-2 CCFC
ATT 22,648
GOALS - Stephen Hughes (21)
Dele Adebola (79)
Gregorz Rasiak (87)
Paul Peschisolido (90)
Man Of The Match - Stephen Hughes had a fine game.
TEAM
Steele,Carey,Staunton,Shaw,Williams, Doyle,Hughes,Morrell,McSheffrey (Barrett 78),Johnson (Suffo 84),Adebola SNU Shearer,Osbourne,Laville