Birchall Snatches A Point

Last updated : 15 April 2008 By Kev Monks at the City Ground
NOTTINGHAM FOREST RESERVES 1-1 COVENTRY CITY RESERVES BY KEV MONKS

Team
Ireland,Fraser,Griffiths,Walker,Borrowdale,De Zeeuw,Cairo,Hughes, Cain,Birchall,Davis. SNU Fitzharris,Quirke,Cameron,Leluu,Jeffers

Forest
Redmond,Moloney,Lockwood,Power,Sharpe,Bencherif (Tait 3),Byrne, Thornhill,Sinclair,Hoskins (Fairclough 70),Bastians SNU Richardson, Heath,Whitehurst

HT NFFC 0-0 CCFC  FT NFFC 1-1 CCFC
Goal Will Hoskins (56)
Ref O.Langford
Att 130
Man Of The Match Michael Hughes or Chris Birchall.
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CITY SUPPORT
Five City supporters plus two parents in the Main Stand.
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Coventry City Reserves came back to snatch a point at Pontins League Central Division Champions Nottingham Forest.

Frankie Bunn's side had gone into the game,knowing that victories in their last two games could earn them a place in the play-offs.

However,they were facing Nottingham Forest who had won the division with ease last month.

Frankie Bunn named a side which was without the injured Stuart Giddings and Lee Hildreth,Matty West and Marcus Hall.

In pouring rain at the City Ground, City attacked the Trent End in the first half.

With Adam Walker the playmaker in midfield, City held Forest, who lost Hamza Bencherif to a third minute hamstring injury,in the opening exchanges.

Danny Ireland was busy dealing with shots from the edge of the box including a good 14th minute stop of a Mark Byrne twelve yard shot.

In the 24th minute,City first real chance came from Ellery Cairo finding Davis on the left. A ball inside to Chris Birchall who span and drove a six yard shot that Forest keeper Shane Redmond pushed over one handed,

Three corners in quick succession followed as the Sky Blues looked for a way through a tight home defence.

The one time in the first half,Forest did get past Ireland,Emille Sinclair somehow missed the open goal five minute before the break.

Eleven minutes into the second half,Forest took the lead when De Zeeuw failed to cut out a cross from the left by Bastians and the ball fell for Will Hoskins to tap in from close range.

Forest were well on top, Griffiths cleared up after an Ireland attempted clearance and De Zeeuw had to be alert to deal with a Bastian cross.

In the 78th minute,Sinclair unbelievably missed from close range and then went well wide with an over head kick.

City had done nothing but in the 83rd minute, they were level when Chris Birchall was sent clear and beat the keeper with a low finish into the bottom corner.

The Sky Blues piled on the pressure. Birchall had a shot deflected for a corner but had to settle for a point.