LEAMINGTON FC 1-1 CCFC 87
CCFC 87 warmed up for their Masters Final appearance in Sheffield in September with a 1-1 draw at Leamington FC.
Fielding a starting eleven that featured five of the 1987 FA Cup Final team and with David Busst leading the Sky Blues attack, a crowd of 730 at The New Windmill were treated to a gentle stroll of an opening 45 minutes.
The Midland Combination side managed by City supporter Jason Cadden, created the first attack in the second minute with a Chris Hanrahan shot flying past the goal tended by Mick Martin.
The now portly custodian known for his appearances at VS Rugby was in action straight after, smothering a Vernon Sleem sortie on goal.
On the ball, the City team looked quite comfortable playing the ball around nicely with some good touches from the likes of Gavin O'Toole,Micky Gynn and Dave Phillips.
In the eighth minute,the Welsh international, who now is heavily involved with Henley College, earned the first corner of the game after his twelve yard effort was hacked away for a corner.
Phillips followed up this effort,a minute later with a drive that just sailed over the bar of Brakes keeper Richard Morris.
Alongside the sprightly figure of Phillips was Micky Gynn who had not lost his skill on the ball and Morris did well to beat away for a corner a drive from the player who joined City from Peterborough United in the tenth minute.
Six minutes later, Leamington hit back forcing a corner that was cleared off the line by Gynn at the far post.
Cyrille Regis - a players who is both a hero and a villain for Coventry supporters was lurking around the Brakes penalty area with serious intent. With twenty minutes on the clock,he forced Morris into a low diving save with a rasping shot.
Back came the hosts and six minutes later, Sleem curled a twenty yard free kick, a foot over the bar.
In the 27th minute, the first change of the afternoon came when Brian "Harry" Roberts replaced Kirk Stephens in the City defence.
Now substitutes have become a much debated subject this week after FIFA announced that only six subs per team may be used in friendly matches. (In fact the Fulham versus Watford friendly at Craven Cottage yesterday was abandoned at half time as both sides had used their full compliment of replacement players).
However for games involving "over age" players these rules are relaxed.
Both sides made full advantage of this break from reality to ensure that all the players had a run out both at the interval and during the second period.
City restarted on the attack with Dave Charnley knocking the ball down for Micky Gynn to blast a right footed effort over the bar from eight yards with a minute and twenty seconds on the watch of referee Peter Liddington.
A minute later, the referee drew hoots of derision from the Coventry supporters in the crowd when Dave Bennett gave a glimpse of his dancing feet and wormed his way into the penalty area,only to be brought down just as he was about to shoot for goal.
Nothing was given but it mattered not as City attacked straight after through O'Toole. The Irishman who now ply's his trade with Racing Warwick, earned a 49th minute corner and delivered the ball to the middle of the penalty area. It was pounced on by Cyrille Regis who was able to find space to knock the ball back for Dave Phillips to hit a low drive from the edge of the area into the net.
As the City players made their way back to the centre circle, Mick Martin was replaced by Brakes keeper Richard Morris who had been replaced at half time by the home side.
The game was pretty even after that, with only a 58th minute effort that Hanrahan fired well wide of the goal being worthy of note.
But in the 72nd minute, Leamington drew level when an attack down the left, saw a lovely cross met by a looping Martin Thompson header which went over the head of Morris and into the net.
With the game tied, both sides seemed happy with the scoreline and although Cyrille Regis rose to head over a 79th minute corner and Dave Phillips blasted over the bar with nine minutes left,there was no further excitement and the game ended with honours even and an enjoyable time for everyone who watched or played.
HT LFC 0-0 CCFC 87 FT LFC 1-1 CCFC 87
ATT 730
Goals Dave Phillips 50 mins (0-1)
Martin Thompson 72 mins (1-1)
Man Of The match - Dave Phillips
City
Mick Martin,Kirk Stephens,Brian Burrows, Martin Lane, Gavin O'Toole,Trevor Peake,Dave Phillips,Micky Gynn,Cyrillle Regis,Dave Busst,Brian Roberts, Dave Charnley, Mark Bowerman plus a couple of Leamington players.
Leamington
Morris,Burgess,Walker,Parisi,Tank,Timms,Herlihy,Hanrahan,Thompson,Sleem, Blake,Eden,Adams,Shearsby,McKenna,Adams,Day,Harper