COVENTRY CITY 0-3 WATFORD BY KEV MONKS
Team
Marshall, Osbourne,Ward,Turner,Borrowdale (De Zeeuw 25),McNamee,Doyle,S.Hughes (Simpson 46), Gray (Best 71),Kyle, Mifsud SNU Adebola,Tabb
Watford
Lee,Doyley,Shittu, Demerit,Stewart,Smith (McAnuff 57),O 'Toole,Mahon,Johnson, King (Ellington 78),Henderson (Priskin 75) SNU Loach,Mariappa
HT CCFC 0-2 WFC FT CCFC 0-3 WFC
Goals Adam Johnson (29), Marlon King (42), Darius Henderson (46)
ATT 17,032
Referee Lee Probert
Booked McNamee,Demerit,Shittu,Turner,Stewart
Man Of The Match - Andy Marshall took all the votes
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"Smoking is bad for your health" I was told on lighting up a cigarette as I made my way away from the Ricoh Arena. "And so is watching that football team," was my reply after watching a dire Coventry City team beaten 3-0 at home by Watford.
We'd all woken to the news that the Sky Blues were subject to a Football League transfer embargo after missing instalments to Southampton for the transfer of Leon Best who was on the bench for this clash after scoring for the reserves last night at Leicester.
The other news of the day was that City had rejected a move by Stoke City to take Elliott Ward on loan with a view to a laughable £600,00 fee when the transfer window re-opens.
Now, players aren't daft, they have the same access to the media as the rest of us and it was clear that the earlier events had taken their toll on the side name by Iain Dowie, himself linked with the vacant manager's job at Bolton.
Dowie changed the team from Saturday bringing in Kevin Kyle and David McNamee.
City,in the first half, attacked the CT Stand which was nowhere near as full as it should have been.
Considering that this was during half term and of all the publicity encouraging the citizens of Coventry and Warwickshire to turn up and support the team, 14,746 City supporters in the ground was a scandalous turn-out and a clear message that only the converted are bothered about ensuring that we have a team to support.
From the start, the Sky Blues struggled with the height of the Watford midfield and the quickness of Aidy Boothroyd's side on the attack.
Michael Mifsud showed a bit of pace early on, but rarely threatened the opposing goal with Hughes and Doyle free kicks being easily dealt with by Richard Lee in the Watford goal.
Danny Shittu, who went down in the Arena history books as the first player to be sent off, was given plenty of abuse from those who remembered his antics during that tournament in Ibiza.
Unfortunately, there was no chance of him being sent off again as he didn't have that many tackles to make.
In the 20th minute, the best chance fell the way of the visitors when Andy Marshall blocked a Marlon King shot with his legs. King was first to the rebound, but clipped the ball onto the near post.
Last season's Player Of The Year was at it again making a great to push away a John Joe O'Toole shot from close range.
Gary Borrowdale was injured during that 23rd minute attack and was down for a good while before a stretcher was called. It looked bad and the former Palace left back went to Walsgrave Hospital after the game with a suspected broken leg.
Arjan De Zeeuw who played 78 minutes against Leicester City Reserves, twenty four hours ago. He took over at centre half with Turner going to left back.
In the 29th minute, for the ninth time this season, City conceded the first goal of the game.
Ben Turner should have done better as a ball from the right by King was sliced by the yuongster into the path of Adam Johnson who smacked the ball past Marshall for the opening goal.
A rare Julian Gray cross flashed past the goal and Kevin Kyle headed wide but in the 42nd minute, Watford went further in front when Marlon King was left unattended in the middle of the penalty area to turn and volley in.
Stephen Hughes had sustained a facial injury in the first half from an unpunished challenge. It transpired at the break that this was a fractured cheekbone and he joined Borrowdale in heading for the hospital.
Robbie Simpson came on and looked lively but less than a minute after the restart and Watford added a third.
A ball from midfield by King was chased down by Darius Henderson. As Ward plus De Zeeuw stood off, Henderson thumped home a right footed shot from thirteen yards.
The Watford support who filled the corner of the Jewson Stand, taunted former Luton player Iain Dowie whilst the CT Stand offered their support to a man whose job is not getting any easier.
City's best chance in the second half came in the 55th minute when a Kevin Kyle header was cleared off the line.The rebound fell to Mifsud but went over the bar.
Robbie Simpson headed over in the 62nd minute but with Leon Best sent on for Julian Gray, the visitors started to raise the tempo.
Andy Marshall, who was the unanimous Man Of The Match winner from the votes I received, made a great block from Henderson and in the 78th minute, saved from Priskin with his legs as the Watford sub raced through.
Many of the City support, on a cold night, headed for the exits as Leon Best fired over with what looked a bad miss.
A minute into the stoppage time, Richard Lee made his first save pushing a Best shot away and seconds later, Mifsud broke but fired wide.
City, were booed off by those who remained in the stadium whilst the away fans celebrated being nine points clear at the top of the table.
It was a bad day and another performance which was clearly not good enough. However, there was a chink of light as the Board were not at the game. They were talking to a consortium, rumoured to be the Strategic Leisure group about a take-over which could be agreed later today.