First Win For Coventry Reserves

Last updated : 01 September 2004 By Kev Monks

COVENTRY CITY RESERVES 3-1 NORWICH CITY RESERVES BY KEV MONKS

Coventry City won their first game of the season with a well deserved victory over Norwich City.

In front of a crowd around the 200 mark, Steve Ogrizovic fielded a strong team which included Patrick Suffo,Gary McSheffrey and Bjarni Gudjonsson.

It would have been even stronger if Graham Barrett who was named on the team-sheet had not been withdrawn at the eleventh hour,much to the annoyance of one person who had gone to the game especially to watch the Irishman.

Norwich also had a reasonable team out with the likes of Ged Brennan,Leon McKenzie,Ian Henderson,Ryan Jarvis and Mathias Svensson who had all featured at Highfield Road in the pre-season game on July 31st. Canaries coach Keith Webb was able to include former Sky Blue Youseff Safri who missed the start of the season due to a hernia operation.

The Moroccan who was a popular figure during his time at Highfield Road didn't forget his old mates and in the ninth minute,he gave the ball to Andy Whing who punted it forward for Patrick Suffo. The Cameroonian was on the right hand side of the East Stand and he made an audacious back heel to send the ball across the face of the goal where it was met by Gary McSheffrey who nodded in.

The Premiership side who have not played at Highfield Road in a reserve game since the late 1960's started to get back into the game and were passing the ball around nicely.

In the 15th minute, the Canaries won a corner through Svensson. When the place kick was swung over, a combination of Andy Whing and Craig Reid cleared the ball.

Another corner for the visitors followed and in the 17th minute. Youseff Safri created space to hit a right footed twenty yarder which City keeper Andy Marriott dived to his right to push round for the visitors third corner of the game.

It was an excellent save by Marriott and one that hopefully will win him the contract at Highfield Road he deserves.

Four minutes later,Norwich attacked once more and won another corner which Jason Shackell headed over.

Stuart Giddings was covering a lot of ground up and down the left flank and in the 22nd minute,he was brought down and a free kick awarded by referee Amy Rayner. Giddings took the kick knocked it short to Bjarni Gudjonsson who crossed for Isaac Osbourne to head narrowly wide.

With Claus Jorgensen laughingly changing his international allegiance to the footballing giant that is the Faroe Islands, his replacement Bjarni Gudjonsson not faring much better and a terrible ball forward to nobody was cleared by Jim Brennan upto for Safri to hit a low shot which Marriott saved.

Giving the ball away is something City are masters at and in the 27th minute,Osbourne lost a ball which fell for Leon McKenzie who turned and hit an ten yard shot which Marriott saved.

Five minutes later,another error by City's Icelander saw the ball eventually falling for Svensson to fire goalwards. It was cleared by Whing and gave the visitors a corner.

City were looking for the counter attack and in the 36th minute,Patrick Suffo spotted the Canaries custodian Paul Gallacher off his line. He hit a 25 yarder towards the goal but the keeper got back in time to make a catch.

Young midfielder Anthony Barry was having a fine game and he sent over a 42nd minute cross from the right which was met by the head of Reid but went past the far post.

HT CCFC 1-0 NCFC

Coventry were the first to show in the second half with McSheffrey curling wide from sixteen yards in the 47th minute.

The City striker was also working hard up front for the Sky Blues and six minutes later, some good work saw him square the ball for Anthony Barry to rifle over from twenty yards.

In the 58th minute, Patrick Suffo fired a shot on the turn which Gallacher did well to get to,it was cleared away for a corner in front of the Main Stand. Giddings took the throw and found the Cameroonian who curled the ball just past the post. As Giddings had come back into play after taking the throw,he had been knocked to the ground by Ian Henderson. Giddings got up after treatment and Henderson got away with it.

Five minutes later,he was not so lucky as this time,the England U19 international saw the yellow card after a reckless tackle on McSheffrey.

Coventry were looking the better of the two sides and in the 65th minute,they made sure the score-line reflected it when a shot on the turn by Suffo was tipped over for a corner. Gudjonsson took the kick and Patrick Suffo who was on the penalty spot powered a header into the net.

The two goal margin only lasted four minutes as Norwich attacked and Bjarni Gudjonsson brought down Canaries skipper Jason Shackell. A penalty was awarded and duly dispatched by Leon McKenzie.

With City now holding the visitors midfield, Steve Ogrizovic made the first substitution of the evening when Tim Partridge replaced Liam Nicell in the 79th minute. The Norwich bench had the same idea and Ryan Jarvis was replaced by Lee Blackburn.

When the game restarted following the changes,City increased their lead when a long through ball from Giddings found Craig Read who kept his cool and steered the ball past the advancing keeper.

Youseff Safri became the third player substituted in the 83rd minute and the Moroccan left the field to warm applause which he duly acknowledged.

As the game reached its conclusion,Suffo went wide from twenty yards and Anthony Barry who worked his socks off all night set up Reid for a shot which Gallacher saved.

The final whistle came shortly after and gave City Reserves their first win of the league season.

FT CCFC 3-1 NCFC

ATT 200
Goals - Gary McSheffrey (9), Patrick Suffo (65),Craig Reid (80) Leon McKenzie (69)
Booked Ian Henderson
Man Of The Match - Anthony Barry
Team
Marriott, Nicell (Partridge 79), Giddings, Pead, Whing, Osbourne, Gudjonsson, Barry, McSheffrey, Suffo, Reid. SNU Mackey, Belford, Thornton, Bains.
Norwich
Gallacher, Willis, Brennan, Safri (Crow 83),Shackell, Halliday, Henderson, McKenzie,Svensson,Smith,Jarvis (Blackburn 79). SNU Howlett, Eagle, Herbert.