COVENTRY CITY RESERVES 2-0 PETERBOROUGH UNITED RESERVES BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City Reserves continued with their winning ways by beating Peterborough 2-0 this morning at Ryton.
Coventry City Reserves continued with their winning ways by beating Peterborough 2-0 this morning at Ryton.
Steve Ogrizovic took the side whilst Iain Dowie and Tim Flowers watched the first half from the dug-out. The City legend and Academy Director named a strong side with Stuart Giddings,Isaac Osbourne,Che Bunce,Chris Birchall,Adam Virgo and Michael Mifsud all named.
Against a Peterborough side who did not have numbers on the backs of their white shirts, the Maltese falcon earned the Sky Blues a fourth minute penalty when he was pulled down. Up stepped Adam Virgo but Posh custodian Shwan Jelal was equal to it diving low to his left to save.
With Andy Gooding, my man of the match pulling strings in midfield,City played some good football,using the channels well and looking to play in the speed merchants of Davis,Mifsud and Birchall.
In the 24th minute, City took the lead thanks to Liam Davis who cut inside the area before curling a low right footed effort past the keeper.
The left winger lasted another fifteen minutes before he limped off after picking up a knock and was replaced by Dale Jones. In this fifteen minute period, the Sky Blues best effort had come from Michael Mifsud who flicked the ball past a defender and raced towards the goal. Unfortunately, the shot did not match the run and Jalal,who had a stunning game in goal for Posh was able to save.
Two minutes before the break, Mifsud did get the goal when he headed home a Ryan Lynch cross from inside the six yard box.
Peterborough, watched by first team boss Darren Ferguson almost pulled one back on the stroke of half-time when Josh Law thumped a shot which flew off Luke Steele's right hand post.
Steele was one of three changes at the break made by Ogrizovic,Dowie and Flowers. Encouraged by a good motivational speech by this management trio, Lee Hildreth,Reis Ashraf and keeper Aaron Lee Barrett were sent on.
City continued to pressurise the visiting defence with Dale Jones going wide early on and some perisistence by Chris Birchall led to the former Port Vale man centering for Gooding to get in a header which was deflected over.
Birchall,who again worked hard,was replaced in the 65th minute by David Burtoft who was involved straight away firing wide after Jalal had blocked a Gooding effort.
Adam Virgo was involved in three attacks and forced Jalal into another good save with a volley was replaced in the 73rd minute by Chris Duggan.
Burtoft,Gooding and Ashraf all went close late on as City coasted to victory.
HT CCFC 2-0 PUFC FT CCFC 2-0 PUFC
GOALS Liam Davis (24), Michael Mifsud (43)
Team
Steele (Lee Barrett 46),Lynch,Giddings, Osbourne
(Hildreth 46),Turner,Bunce,Birchall (Burtoft 65),Gooding,Virgo (Duggan 73),Mifsud (Ashraf 46), Davis (Jones 39)