| GALWAY UNITED 0-1 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS An early goal from Stern John was enough to give City a win at Galway United. After the nightmare of Athlone,we got the train up to Galway. It is a city of character with a coastline, boasting fine prawns and a stack of pubs (350 in total) all offering the Irish experience. We'd been walking round a city nestled on the west coast of Ireland, spotting a growing band of Coventry City supporters and by the time we arrived in a Garda Civil Defence Land Rover with sirens wailing and lights flashing at Terryland Park, there was another good turn out of City supporters both from England and Ireland in a crowd of 1200. Against a side once managed by Seamus McDonagh,Micky Adams again continued with his "give every player a run out" philosophy. With Clayton Ince again in goal,Duffy,Hall,Page and Matt Heath started in defence. Andy Morrell,Darryl Powell,James Scowcroft and Michael Doyle started in midfield whilst Dele Adebola and Stern John were up front. On a ground with a stand going all the way down the length of the pitch which had just been awarded a ?500,000 grant for improvements, Galway had the first chance in the third minute when Barbadion Eric Lavine rifled wide from 23 yards with a right footed effort. In the thirteenth minute, City took the lead when a Marcus Hall cross from the left was kept in by Scowcroft. The midfielder played it back for Michael Doyle who turned and passed for STERN JOHN on the edge of the area,to drive low into the net. Ince then dived low to save from John Russell before Alan Gough went to his left to collect a Powell drive. City were starting to create chances with Scowcroft on the turn,just going wide. In the 33rd minute,Morrell's header from a Hall cross was grabbed by Gough. On the stroke of half-time,Dele Adebola jinked his way through to find Morrell who stabbed wide from six yards. Micky Adams made seven changes at the break with only Clayton Ince,Powell,Duffy and Stern John stopping on. Five minutes in to the second half,Alan Gough made two fine saves. Firstly from Claus Jorgensen after a neat one two with Barrett and then throwing himself to his right to push away a Richard Duffy volley. Galway boss Steve Lalley made three changes and his side were unlucky not to be level when Barry Moran struck a right footed shot against the crossbar. In the 66th minute,Adams used his full compliment of substitutes when he brought on Kevin Thornton came on for Stern John. The Covsupport reserve team player of last season was involved straight away setting up Powell who had an effort saved and then having a go himself from ten yards to win a corner. With twelve minutes left, City should have wrapped up the match when Ryan came out of his goal and missed,Thornton fired as did Jorgensen. The ball finally fell for Richard Duffy who blasted wide from ten yards. Coventry kept it tight until the end and won quite comfortably. HT GUFC 0-1 CCFC FT GUFC 0-1 CCFC att 1200 City 1st half Ince,Duffy,Hall,Doyle,Page,Heath,Morrell,Powell,Adebola,Scowcroft,John SUBS On 46 Jorgensen,Whing,Watson,Shaw,Williams, Osbourne. On 66 Thornton Galway United Gough (Ryan 63),Frawley (Kearn (63),Reilly,Keady (Syzmanski 55),Casey (O'Donovan 55), Fortune,Russell (Kane 75),Harty (O'Brien 55), Lavine, Moran,Clery |