COVENTRY CITY U21’S 3-2 BARNSLEY
Coventry City: Dunn, Pegg, Haynes, Philliskirk, Henderson, Malaga, Bell (Ruffels 61), Barton, Ball (Maund 83), Jeffers, Roberts (Garner 61). Subs: Fagan, Fletcher.
Barnsley: Lidakevicius, Roberts-Nurse (Alderson 66), Younga, Scott (Maris 46), Smith, Jones, Patterson, Rooney, Oates, Silva, Knight. Subs: Chaderton, Shillito.
HT CCFC 1-2 BFC FT CCFC 3-2 BFC
REFEREE C.Husband
GOALS: Rhys Oates (3 & 23), Adam Barton (51), Callum Ball (44 & 59)
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Coventry City U21’s came from two goals down to beat Barnsley.
Richard Stevens and Mark Noon had Kevin Malaga and Joe Henderson back in the heart of City’s defence with Danny Philliskirk joining the likes of Adam Barton and David Bell in midfield, whilst Shaun Jeffers and Callum Ball were up front.
On a cold afternoon at the Alan Higgs Centre with former Sky Blues Tim Flowers, Paul Hall, Ian Goodwin and Steve Ogrizovic all watching on, Barnsley were the first to strike when the neat Rhys Oates raced through and slipped the ball past Chris Dunn to give the Tykes a third minute lead.
City went down the other end through Adam Barton who fired over but Barnsley attacked again and young City defender Ryan Haynes did well to hack the ball away from a Kelly Younga cross.
Danny Philliskirk worked well in City’s midfield and he was involved in a move which saw Shaun Jeffers fire at Lukas Lidakevicius, who in the tenth minute was having to kick out for a throw - a David Bell free kick that had been met by Malaga.
Barnsley attacked down the right in the sixteenth minute and Chris Dunn made a brilliant save from John Rooney’s point blank range shot following a Silva cross.
City might have had a penalty when Philliskirk was shoved by Lidakevicius but Referee Mr Husband was having none of it. Barnsley broke and Rhys Oates race in on goal and cleverly lifted the ball over the advancing Dunn to put Barnsley two goals up.
Dunn saved well from Patterson before City came back with a number of corners, thanks to the efforts of players like Shaun Jeffers who curled a 40th minute shot over and won a corner when his shot was deflected two minutes later.
Half-time was approaching and the Sky Blues went in only one goal behind, when Adam Barton did very well under pressure in the area to find Callum Ball on the right hand side of the area. Ball took a touch before thundering the ball into the far corner of the net.
The Tykes made a change at the break but there was a ton of determination about the City side and six minutes after the restart, the Sky Blues were level.
Danny Philliskirk got down the left and cut the ball, via a knock on, back to Adam Barton on the edge of the area. The summer signing from Preston took aim and drilled a low shot past the diving Lidakevicius’ right hand and into the net.
Will Roberts delivered an excellent cross from the right which Ball met with a diving header and a certain goal was only prevented thanks to a great save from Lidakevicius.
At the other end, the reliable Joe Pegg made a good clearance from inside his area as Oates lined up to shoot.
In the 59th minute, City attacked once again through Will Roberts. Again, he picked out Callum Ball at the far post. But this time, Lidakevicius was badly positioned and Ball fired home to put City 3-2 in front.
Stevens made a double change with Roberts and Bell replaced by Louis Garner and Josh Ruffels making a welcome return after a year out injured.
Ruffels worked hard in a City team which was displaying plenty of effort, commitment and promise.
Jeffers had a 73rd minute shot deflected away for a corner kick which Lidakevicius had to flap away.
Dunn got down well to a Knight free kick at the other end before great work by Ruffels won an 83rd minute corner.
Just before the corner, Stevens made his third change with Callum Ball who had a fine game like the rest of his team-mates being replaced by Ben Maund.
There was just time for Barnsley to win a corner which was easily caught by Dunn.and for City, who take on Leicester City at home next Monday, to win a corner that came back to Josh Ruffels to hit a twenty five yarder not far wide of Lidakevicius’ left hand post before the final whistle went and City U21’s could celebrate their third successive win of 2013.