Tale of Two Cities

Last updated : 12 May 2003 By Paddy Davitt

Separated only by the width of the M69 in footballing terms there is a growing chasm between these two neighbours.

Leicester remain unbeaten in Midlands clashes this season.

Coventry’s season has imploded, early promise evapourating almost as quickly as an express delivery from Brett Lee.

The first-half offered hope that a meaty derby might bridge the gap between promotion certainties and nowhere men.

It had the usual derby ingredients; fiesty challenges, running skirmishes and yellow cards being thrown about like confetti.

But once McKinley opened the scoring just after half-time with a crisp strike from the edge of the box the result was never in doubt.

Walker spent the first hour shielding the sun from his eyes. He could have gone a stage further and sent Flowers off to fetch the deckchair.

Jansen’s glancing header four minutes after Scowcroft had doubled Leicester’s advantage raised brief hopes of a comeback by the home side.

But you sensed McAllister’s men did not really believe it was on the cards and the home fans who had started to melt away shared their pessimism.

With barely 30 minutes of the contest gone the taunting chant went up from the sizeable Foxes’ contingent ‘We’ll never play you again.’

On this season’s evidence it would be hard to argue.

The resourceful Adams has rode choppy financial waters to steer his experienced Premership-hardened troops to within sight of the top flight.

McAllister in his first managerial campaign has been bailing out water with buckets full of holes.

Just days before the match the club announced nine first teamers were to be off-loaded in the summer.

Hardly ideal preparation for a club whose recent results have sparked a slide to the periphery of the relegation dogfight.

High wage earners like Chippo and Joachim were took aside and told ‘thanks but no thanks.’

Not so much tightening the belt a notch or two but the latest crash course diet guaranteed to induce prodigous weight loss.

Come matchday Coventry’s subs bench resembled a row of nervous youngsters waiting for their driving test.

Jephcott, Noon and Osbourne all still to make their first team debuts expected to compete with canny pros like Elliott, Taggart and Dickov.

It was no contest just as it has been for the entire season.

Leicester can get out the road maps for Old Trafford, Highbury, Anfield.

Coventry for the foreseeable future must make do with remoter footballing outposts - Grimsby, Rotherham, Gillingham.