COVENTRY CITY RESERVES 3-4 WATFORD RESERVES BY KEV MONKS
City Reserves got off to a defeat in their opening game of the season with a defeat at Highfield Road.
Both sides fielded strong teams with Steve Ogrizovic selecting the likes of Andy Morrell and Gary McSheffrey whilst the Hornets included Jermain Darlington,Scott Fitzgerald and Heidar Helguson in their starting line up.
Before the game,Dave Bennett,Cyrille Regis, Lloyd McGrath and John Sillett were interviewed on the pitch by BBC Midlands Today to mark City 1987 FA Cup winning performance as the most memorial sporting event by a Midlands based team or person over in the last 100 years.
Watford attacked first with keeper Andy Marriott saving from Toumani Diagouraga after 36 seconds and two minutes later a lovely through ball from Liam Nicell. found Claus Jorgensen but the Dane was tackled before he could shoot and City won a corner.
The visitors attacked in the eighth minute and the ball for Andy Ferrell to hit a sweet volley which Marriott dived to his right to make a superb one handed save and give Watford a corner which Andy Whing playing at centre half headed clear.
In the 11th minute,a foul on Jorgensen gave City a free kick. Anthony Barry stepped up and just missed Dele Adebola and the far post with a 25 yard curler.
Marriott was involved at the other end when he saved an eight yard right footed from Jack Smith.
In the 14th minute, the crowd of around 150 were on their feet when City took the lead following a through ball from Neil Wood falling for Gary McSheffrey to run on and drive the ball into the net.
Watford replied immediately,well in less than thirty seconds when the ball was pumped forward,Andy Whing was shoved off the ball and Heidar Helguson slammed home.
Both sides struggled to retain the ball and in the 20th minute,a long ball found Helguson who hit a left footed shot from twelve yards that Marriott dived to save.
Antony Barry was working hard in City's midfield and a cross from the former Everton youth team player was nodded wide by Dele Adebola at the far post. To be fair to the Nigerian,the ball was over hit and he did well even to get near it.
Referee Jon Cordy was booed by the City supporters in the 22nd minute after he booked Gary McSheffrey as he tracked back to get the ball off Darlington.
Andy Marriott in the City goal was having a good game and made a terrific 24th minute save from an overhead kick by Fitzgerald to give Watford a corner.
The ball was knocked back and when it came over,Ferrell tried to shoot,the ball took a deflection off Nicell and fell for Jay Demerit some two yards out to stab than ball home.
The effect of being a goal down was made worse by the referee who failed to caution Ferrell after he scythed down Morrell and drew some more boos from the City crowd.
The same happened in the 36th minute when Andy Whing was fouled by Fitzgerald. Whing had treatment but still looked dazed when he went back onto the pitch to continue the game.
This knock must have still been plaguing the ACCSCAG Young Player Of The Year Winner as he stood still when Fitzgerald came in and Marriott came in to rescue.
Fitzgerald broke down the right in the 37th minute and cut the ball back for Ferrell to thunder a shot which crashed off the bottom of Marriott's right hand post and bounced away.
To cheers from the City supporters,a 38th minute foul by Jamie Hand on Andy Morrell was punished with a caution.
Watford delighted their four supporters in the 40th minute when they went further ahead when Whing again stood still. Marriott dashed out and missed the ball, allowing Heidar Helguson to hook the ball into the empty net.
Two minutes later,Anthony Barry was muscled off the ball and Marriott saved a Fitzgerald shot with his feet.
At half-time, Liam Nicell was replaced by City's young defender Rikki Bains. The Asian took over at centre half with Andy Whing who had fully recovered,moving to his customary right back position.
The switch in positions benefited Andy Whing as he helped support the attack in the 49th minute and had the ball knocked back to him by Andy Morrell. He spotted Hornets keeper Reece Kirk out of his goal and lashed a shot which flew in the net at the far post.
City were now rejuvenated and Andy Morrell clattered the bar with a close range effort three minutes later. Then a Stuart Giddings cross found Morrell who got to the penalty area before cutting the ball back for Whing to fire over.
Dele Adebola who also tried hard did well in the 55th minute to rescue the ball before Kirk could reach it and he knocked it back for Gary McSheffrey to curl wide from six yards.
Giddings crossed again a minute later and this time,Morrell stuck out a right foot and Kirk blocked the ball with his feet for a corner.
Ashley Young blazed over before Adebola won a header,found Morrell and raced for the return ball which was not that well hit and the Nigerian could only get his right leg to the ball and send it onto the roof of the net.
Adebola was involved as City equalised just before the hour mark when he attacked down the left towards the West Terrace and flicked the ball back to Andy Morrell who blasted in from close range.
Craig Reid who again was watched by a number of local supporters came on for Gary McSheffrey in the 61st minute at the same time that Helguson was replaced by James Norville.
Two changes followed two minutes later. Ashley Young was replaced by Anthony McNamee and Andy "Hardman" Hall came on for Andy Morrell.
Neil Wood was having a mixed game in City's midfield and was muscled off the ball in the 68th minute, it led to Isaac Osbourne who worked hard in the heart of City's defence to clear the ball before he gave it away cheaply to Hand whose run and shot earned him a corner.
A cross from Giddings was caught by Kirk under pressure from Adebola before a cross from Ferrell was met by Norville,he hit a lovely shot which bounced off the foot of the near post and was cleared by Giddings for a throw.
Norville turned provider in the 79th minute when he delivered what was the best cross of the night for the unmarked Scott Fitzgerald to head the ball past Marriott.
Craig Reid finally got his first touch of the ball in the 83rd minute, knocking it forward. Hall got down the right and tried to cross. The ball struck a defenders arm but Mr Cordy refused to listen to the appeals for a penalty and waved play on.
Jorgensen fired past the post with five minutes left and although Reid got another touch when he conceded an 88th minute throw in, City could not muster another goal and Watford won the game.
HT CCFC 1-3 WFC FT CCFC 3-4 WFC
ATT 150
Goals - Gary McSheffrey (14 mins)
Heidar Helguson (14 mins & 40 mins )
Jay Demerit (25 mins)
Andy Whing (49 mins)
Andy Morrell (60 mins)
Scott Fitzgerald (79 mins)
Booked Gary McSheffrey, Jamie Hand
Man Of the Match - Andy Marriott who may have let in four but saved six more with votes for Giddings,Barry and Wood
Mare Of The Match - The ever unpopular Claus Jorgensen with nominations for Marriott,Adebola and Bains
Team
Marriott,Nicell (Bains 46),Giddings,Barry, Whing,Osbourne,Morrell (Hall 64),Wood, Adebola,McSheffrey (Reid 61),Jorgensen SNU Tuffey,Thornton
Watford
Kirk,Smith,Darlington,Hand,Demerit,Blizzard, Young (McNamee 63),Fitzgerald,Helguson (Norville 61),Diagourga,Ferrell SNU Herd,Gilligan,Mariappa.