City Scrape A Win At Nuneaton

Last updated : 15 July 2009 By Kev Monks at Liberty Way

NUNEATON TOWN 0-1 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS

Date 15/07/09 AT Liberty Way Attendance 1754

TEAM

Westwood (Konstantpolous 46), Clarke, Hall (Grandison 46), Turner (Wright 46), Ward (Osbourne 46), Cain, Bell (Gunnarsson 46), Morrison (Eastwood 46), Walker, Doyle, Best (Jeffers 65)

Nuneaton

Acton (Collett), Oddy, Forsdick, Noon, Pierpoint, Armson, Spacey, Storer (Marsden 56), Dillon, Suarez (Foster 52), Blenkinsopp


Half Time Score: NTFC 0-1 CCFC

Full Time Score: NTFC 0-1 CCFC

Goal Clinton Morrison (33)

Referee David Coote

Man Of The Match Jordan Clarke took the votes after a good performance.

Coventry City scraped a 1-0 victory at Nuneaton Town tonight thanks to a Clinton Morrison first half goal.

On a sunny night, some of the Sky Blue Army arrived at Liberty Way to be sent half way round the ground to get in. Some were herded into the away end whilst the rest stood around the ground.


Kick off was delayed until 7.15pm and when the Sky Blues entered the pitch, it was the majority of the team that had been utilised in the second half of the first friendly at Wrexham on Saturday.


Four former City youngsters were included in Kevin Wilkins team and it was David Blenkinsopp who raced through to fire over in the opening seconds.

Michael Doyle followed suit four minutes later and then had a shot at the far post blocked after Clinton Morrison had knocked on a Jordan Clarke cross.


Morrison then had a go him self before playing a sublime ball to play Leon Best into the area in the tenth minute. Best cut inside and fired but Darren Acton blocked with his body and went for a corner.


Acton, whom I remember from his days at Telford United with Gerry Daly and Paul Dyson made another brave block to deny Best nine minutes later.

Morrison and Cain who was causing problems on the left flank both had effort and in the 33rd minute, it was the former Crystal Palace man, who gave the Sky Blues the lead.



City won a corner. Dave Bell pinged the ball in and there was Clinton Morrison to head into the net.


Three minutes before the break, Kyle Storer had Nuneaton's first shot on target when his long ranger fell into the hands of Kieren Westwood.


The talented custodian was one of six players replaced at the break. At the other end, Nuneaton brought on Neil Collett.


The former City Academy keeper only had one save to make and that came three minutes into the second half when Leon Best got the ball on the turn inside the area and Collett used his body to good effect.


Nuneaton went up the other end and Konstanopolous saved from Chris Dillon with his body.


In the 56th minute, Aron Gunnarsson reacted strongly to a tackle from Nuneaton's number eight. Former Sky Blue and City Academy Coach Mark Noon tried to act as peacemaker but a bit of pushing and shoving saw Storer, ordered to be replaced by the referee.


Freddie Eastwood in his salmon pink boots and Leon Best struggled with Nuneaton's offside tactics and in the 65th minute, the Irish international was replaced by Sean Jeffers, who was City U18's top scorer last season.

Jeffers played very deep with Eastwood often the loan man up front.


After the City support had demanded to know "where the signings had gone", Eastwood volleyed from the right to give Collett an easy 80th minute catch.


Gunnarsson blazed over from another good Clarke cross and two minutes from time, Dimi punched away a free kick and then caught the incoming volley to give City a win which gave the players ninety minutes work out but did nothing to raise the morale of the City support.