LEICESTER CITY 3-0 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
The end of Adrian Heath's career at Coventry City came to an end with a very sorry defeat at Leicester City.
Prior to the game, the impending appointment of Iain Dowie as manager on Monday at 11am had been leaked to the News Of The World by a member of the Managerial Selection Committee who should have known better and Caretaker Adrian Heath named a side which was without Michael Doyle.
The CT had claimed Doyle dropped for talking to the media and it is no secret that Doyler is unhappy following the bust-up with Robert Page being swept under the carpet and has said that he will be leaving at the end of the season, However, he had to return to Ireland when a girlfriend went into labour and gave birth to a baby boy.
Stephen Hughes who missed the draw with Cardiff due to a virus replaced him in midfield.
Being fussy as to who I give my money to, we'd travelled later than we would for a game elsewhere and joined 2,500 other very noisy City supporters in the corner stand in booing and abusing Milan Mandaric who took over a club which plays second fiddle in its own city. "What A Waste Of Money" being the most printable ditty from the City support which included supporters from as far away as Denmark as Mandaric's address to his new flock was drowned out.
Within twenty six minutes of the game kicking off, I was wishing that I was somewhere else as the Sky Blues were three goals down.
Leicester had got at City from the start and took the lead in the tenth minute when Porter sent a ball to the far post. There was Geoff Horsfield who had been left free by Robert Page to send a looping header towards the goal line which it crossed before being hooked away.
Now there had been rumours circulating that the players were willing to lose this local derby in order to show their disgust at the way Adrian Heath had been treated by the Board who obviously wont be having the interviews that were planned for this week.
One could certainly have thought this as City were worse than usual, Michael Mifsud was invisible whilst Stephen Hughes struggled in midfield.
In the seventeenth minute, one goal down turned to two goals down. Robert Page should have been a lot tighter on his marker as Iain Hume centred for Andy Johnson to head in.
Eight minutes later,Leicester added a third when the unmarked Geoff Horsfield was allowed to turn in the box and curl the ball past Andy Marshall from seven yards.
That was the call for the Coventry support to voice it's displeasure. A chorus of "We're Sh*t and We're Sick Of It" started off chants which then became directed at Robert Page.
For most of us,smacking a work colleague and knocking out three teeth would be instant dismissal with possible legal action. So sweeping it under the carpet was not the correct action the club should have taken,unless they actually want to set a very bad example especially to younger supporters.
A chant of "There's Only One Michael Doyle" saw Page booed or abused by some sections of the support every time he touched the ball for the rest of the half.
Four minutes from the interval,only a superb stop by Andy Marshall from a Mark Yeates effort stopped the Sky Blues from going four goals down.
Adrian Heath went for a change at the break and sent on Kevin Kyle for Michael Mifsud. Leicester had their foot firmly off the gas and allowed Jay Tabb to cross for Leon McKenzie to get in a header which was deflected for a 54th minute corner and ten minutes later have a rare shot on goal.
In the 68th minute, Chris Birchalll who scored for the reserves in the midweek win over AC Renate replaced Stephen Hughes.
Dele Adebola missed with a free header in the 75th minute before being replaced by Adam Virgo.
Robert Page who stormed off the pitch on the final whistle picked up a caution and Isaac Osbourne had a late shot but the game by then was over as a contest and we dejectedly trudged out of the ground very let down by this sixth consecutive away defeat.
HT LCFC 3-0 CCFC FT LCFC 3-0 CCFC
ATT 25,816
Goals Geoff Horsfield (10,25), Andy Johnson (17)
Referee C.Webster Booked McNamee,Page
Team
Marshall,Whing,McNamee,Hawkins,Page,Hughes (Birchall 68),Tabb,Osbourne,Adebola (Virgo 80),McKenzie,Mifsud (Kyle 46) SNU Steel,Bunce
Leicester
Henderson,Maybury,McAuley,Kisnorbo,Yeates (Stearman 80),Jarrett,Porter,Hume (Cadamateri 83),Horsfield (Hammond 90) SNU Kenton,Logan