City Struggle For Goals At Huddersfield

Last updated : 25 July 2009 By Kev Monks at Galpharm Stad

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 0-0 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS

Date 25/07/09 AT The Galpharm Stadium.

Team
Westwood, Wright (Grandison 61), McPake, Ward (Turner 75), Clarke, Doyle (Walker 72), Gunnarsson, Cain, Morrison, Best (Jeffers 61) SNU Konstanopolous, Hall

Huddersfield
Smithies, T.Clarke, Williams (Skarz 61), N.Clarke, P.Clarke, Berrett (Robinson 46), Kay (Goodwin 72), Collins, Roberts (Ainsworth 72), Simpson (Novak 75), Plikington SNU Glennon,Butler

HT HTFC 0-0 CCFC FT HTFC 0-0 CCFC ATT 3886
Referee M. Heywood
Man Of The Match Aron Gunnarsson took the votes with nominations for Ward, Doyle, Westwood, McPake and Wright.

Coventry City are still unbeaten in their pre-season campaign after a 0-0 draw at Huddersfield Town.

With Danny Fox sold to Celtic for anything from £1.5m to £3m depending on which media source you believe, it was hard to know what the reaction from the 250 City supporters who had made their way to the Galpharm Stadium in Huddersfield would be.

Silence was the answer. There was applause for the City team, which had Keiren Westwood back in goal with McPake and Ward in the back four, when they came out and when Robbie Simpson was introduced to the crowd but that was it.

The silence treatment continued on a sunny afternoon in a stadium with curved roofs on their stands.

City looked attack minded but against a side, which was managed by Lee Clark and included three Clarke's, one of whom was former City loanee Peter, the Sky Blues struggled to find any rhythm early on.



Stephen Wright worked well on the over lap and one 11th minute run lead to a corner. Ward headed Osbourne's flag kick back to Morrison but the chance went wide.

Huddersfield went up the other end and were awarded a free kick, some 18 yards out. Robbie Simpson took it but curled it wide of the far post at the end where the 250 City fans, some of whom had travelled on the well organised Trust coach, were housed.

The ball was in the net in the 16th minute when Elliott Ward lashed in from a Best knock-back. However, the flag had gone up as Ward came in and the match remained goal-less.



After a bad foul on Gunnarsson went unpunished but left the Icelander needing help to get back on his feet, Ashley Cain nipped in to beat Doyle to get in a header which Alex Smithies, who has been linked with a move to Coventry, caught.

Cain played a great 34th minute ball to pick out Leon Best who won a corner after McPake had atoned for a rare Ward error.

Robbie Simpson who was used as a lone striker for The Terriers, did get through five minutes before the breal but a combination of Ward and Westwood, who has been rumoured to be linked to moves to Liverpool and Blackburn, stopped him.

The second half had even less excitement than the first half.

Jordan Clarke and Ashley Cain played the game out of position on the left. Both worked hard with Cain showing some pace whilst Doyle and Gunnarsson kept the midfield tight.

Two youngsters in the team became four in the 61st minute when Jermaine Grandison and Jackson Grundy Cup Winner Shaun Jeffers came on.

With Freddie Eastwood and David Bell injured, it became five eleven minutes later when Adam Walker replaced Doyle and Coleman completed his changes when Ben Turner came on for Elliott Ward.

Simpson went off just before Elliott Ward came on and got a standing ovation from many of the City support, a good number of whom were northern based.

Cain had a couple of runs towards the end which gave Smithies two catches but neither side could find a way to the goal and the match ended in a draw.