THE COVENTRY MASTERS BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City were out-mastered in the Coventry Masters Tournament at the Sky Dome in Croft Road today.
Coventry City were out-mastered in the Coventry Masters Tournament at the Sky Dome in Croft Road today.
The opening game in front of a three quarter full Sky Dome was between Liverpool and Leicester.
Liverpool who won the Dubai Masters,fielded Gary Gillespie,Phil Babb and Mike Marsh in the squad.
The Irishman scored in the first of the eight minute each way contest which finished three all.
Coventry City and Everton were up next. City whose team was chosen like the other competing sides by the PFA, started with Tim Clarke in goal,Paul A Williams,Dave Phillips,Dean Holdsworth,,Peter Billing and Paul Hall.
Chants of "Sky Blue Army" rang round the three quarters full Arena as City entered the pitch but Everton were ahead after 37 seconds through Stuart Barlow but skipper Dave Phillips was first to a rebound to equalise in the second minute.
With Holdsworth and Hall firing wide, Everton went back in front through Mark Wright but on the stroke of half-time,Paul Hall who moved back to Walsall recently curled in.
John Williams came in as did Micky Gynn, Dave Phillips was having a fine game whilst Clarke made a good 12th minute stop with his feet.
With a minute to go and against the run of play, Stuart Barlow was first to a rebound to beat Clarke and condemn City to a 3-2 defeat.
Everton then played Leicester and two Paul Grove goals in the first half had Leicester ahead. In the second half,goals from Groves and Phillpott made it four nil and put Leicester top.
City needed to beat Liverpool in order to stay in the tournament.
With referee Peter Jones in charge, Nigel Spackman fired Liverpool ahead after 90 seconds. Dave Phillips made on great goal-line clearance before John Durnin added a second.
Just before the end of the first half,Paul Hall went on a mazy run before firing a low left footed shot into the net. It was voted the goal of the tournament but all it was to reduce the arrears and give City a chance of getting back into the match.
This they did when Dave Phillips equalised in the tenth minute but again the defence started to get caught out and John Aldridge and Nigel Spackman both netted late on to knock City out of the tournament in a 4-2 defeat.
Thankfully,the PA was awful so we could not make out the witticisms from the Commentator who was more Scouse than most of those wearing Liverpool and Everton shirts in the audience as the next game between Everton and Liverpool started.
It finished three-two to the red half of Merseyside Mike Marsh netting for Liverpool and was enough for Liverpool to reach the Final.
That brought us to the final group game which paired City and Leicester together.
Keeping up his record of scoring in every game,Dave Phillips scored in the third minute with Dave Bennett adding a second a minute later. The pressure was piled on and John Williams fired in a third before Paul Groves pulled one back.
Keeping up his record of scoring in every game,Dave Phillips scored in the third minute with Dave Bennett adding a second a minute later. The pressure was piled on and John Williams fired in a third before Paul Groves pulled one back.
With Dean Holdsworth unable to find the net (Some things never change!), Lee Phillpott scored straight after the restart. In the tenth minute, Micky Gynn made it four. Thoughts turned to a City victory but it was not to be as Paul Reid netted and then with the last kick of the game, Lee Phillpott scored to deny City and put Leicester in the final.
Many City and Everton fans took this as their queue to leave. The goals had already flown in, in this tournament and the final produced eight goals. Unfortunately, five of them were scored by Leicester who now take their place in the National Finals in September.
Leicester 3-3 Liverpool Coventry 2-3 Everton,
Everton 0-4 Leicester Coventry 2-4 Liverpool
Everton 2-3 Liverpool Coventry 4-4 Leicester
Final Leicester 5-3 Liverpool
Coventry
Tim Clarke,Dave Phillips, Paul Hall,Peter Billing,Micky Gynn,Dave Bennett,John Williams, Dean Holdsworth,Paul A. Williams.