SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 2-1 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City put in a battling performance but went down to a 2-1 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.
Both sides went into the game with something to play for. The Sky Blues needed a point to be mathematically safe whilst Wednesday had an outside chance of the play-offs.
Injuries and suspensions forced Iain Dowie into changes for this visit to a sunny Hillsborough.Three were made with Liam Davis starting on the left,David McNamee back in defence and Dele Adebola back up front.
There was an excellent turn-out of City supporters filling two blocks of the top tier of the Leppings Lane stand. Our numbers included City MD Paul Fletcher and the City shirted Ken Sharpe. Both had planned to travel on one of the five discounted club coaches but only Ken Sharpe did.
Dele Adebola had the ball in the net in the ninth minute when a cross from Liam Davis was dropped by Iain Turner.
This was ruled out but five minutes later,it was Wednesday who opened the scoring when Marcus Tudgay fired home from nine yards after a long ball had not been defended and Richard Wood was able to slip the ball to the former Derby man.
Man Of The Match Isaac Osbourne ran the midfield which was coming under pressure from some very niggly tackles.
Michael Mifsud was also a handful for the home side and in the 24th minute with the ball bouncing around the penalty area, the Maltese international hit a shot which was blocked off the line.
We had jumped up in anticipation of a goal and twelve minutes later,we were all celebrating when Michael Mifsud created space inside the area passing players in his way to thump home a shot which went in off the crossbar.
The game was start stop as the half finished with a trip on Davis and a caution for the hard working David McNamee.
The singing from the City support continued into the second half with the original "Twister" making a rare appearance.
When they got the chance,City did play some good passing football.
Attacking the end where the City support was housed,Hughes and Tabb combined to centre for Adebola at the far post to nod wide.
A massive roar from the home fans indicated that the Premiership team in Sheffield were losing at Charlton.
It was a roar louder than when Wednesday went back in front in the 69th minute.
The home side broke after Liam Davis had fluffed a shot. Andy Marshall parried Blunt's effort from Gilbert's through ball and Steve McLean drove the ball into the empty net.
Liam Davis who had a reasonable game was replaced by Kevin Thornton.
The young fit again Irishman was his lively self working well with Osbourne and Hughes and Kevin Kyle when he was introduced in the 79th minute.
Kyle and Thornton found each other with inch perfect passes across the box in the 86th minute with the Scot having an effort blocked.
Dowie's side, looking nothing like the side that had been stuffed by a Preston side whom were letting us down by losing at home to Leicester, kept plugging away.
With two minutes to go of normal time, Mifsud got the ball on his left and pulled the trigger only for the ball to hit Turner's right hand post.
Coventry City put in a battling performance but went down to a 2-1 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.
Both sides went into the game with something to play for. The Sky Blues needed a point to be mathematically safe whilst Wednesday had an outside chance of the play-offs.
Injuries and suspensions forced Iain Dowie into changes for this visit to a sunny Hillsborough.Three were made with Liam Davis starting on the left,David McNamee back in defence and Dele Adebola back up front.
There was an excellent turn-out of City supporters filling two blocks of the top tier of the Leppings Lane stand. Our numbers included City MD Paul Fletcher and the City shirted Ken Sharpe. Both had planned to travel on one of the five discounted club coaches but only Ken Sharpe did.
Dele Adebola had the ball in the net in the ninth minute when a cross from Liam Davis was dropped by Iain Turner.
This was ruled out but five minutes later,it was Wednesday who opened the scoring when Marcus Tudgay fired home from nine yards after a long ball had not been defended and Richard Wood was able to slip the ball to the former Derby man.
Man Of The Match Isaac Osbourne ran the midfield which was coming under pressure from some very niggly tackles.
Michael Mifsud was also a handful for the home side and in the 24th minute with the ball bouncing around the penalty area, the Maltese international hit a shot which was blocked off the line.
We had jumped up in anticipation of a goal and twelve minutes later,we were all celebrating when Michael Mifsud created space inside the area passing players in his way to thump home a shot which went in off the crossbar.
The game was start stop as the half finished with a trip on Davis and a caution for the hard working David McNamee.
The singing from the City support continued into the second half with the original "Twister" making a rare appearance.
When they got the chance,City did play some good passing football.
Attacking the end where the City support was housed,Hughes and Tabb combined to centre for Adebola at the far post to nod wide.
A massive roar from the home fans indicated that the Premiership team in Sheffield were losing at Charlton.
It was a roar louder than when Wednesday went back in front in the 69th minute.
The home side broke after Liam Davis had fluffed a shot. Andy Marshall parried Blunt's effort from Gilbert's through ball and Steve McLean drove the ball into the empty net.
Liam Davis who had a reasonable game was replaced by Kevin Thornton.
The young fit again Irishman was his lively self working well with Osbourne and Hughes and Kevin Kyle when he was introduced in the 79th minute.
Kyle and Thornton found each other with inch perfect passes across the box in the 86th minute with the Scot having an effort blocked.
Dowie's side, looking nothing like the side that had been stuffed by a Preston side whom were letting us down by losing at home to Leicester, kept plugging away.
With two minutes to go of normal time, Mifsud got the ball on his left and pulled the trigger only for the ball to hit Turner's right hand post.
It rebounded and fell for Thornton. We gasped as the Irishman lined up his shot. This time,it was the left hand post which saved Wednesday as the ball bounced off before being cleared.
A draw would have been a fair result and given City the point they needed for mathematical safety. Thankfully,Leeds defeat at Southampton was enough to give us Championship football next season but the 14th defeat of the season means this is our worst away season since relegation to the second tier.
HT SWFC 1-1 CCFC FT SWFC 2-1 CCFC
ATT 23,632
Goals Marcus Tudgay (16), Michael Mifsud (36), Steve McLean (69)
Referee PT Crossley
Booked Clarke,McNamee,Wood,McLean,Osbourne,Thornton
Team
Marshall,McNamee,Hall,Page,Ward,Tabb (Kyle 79),Hughes,Osbourne,Davis (Thornton 72),Adebola,Mifsud
SNU Steele,Birchall, Turner
Sheffield Wednesday
Turner,Bullen,Whelan,Tudgay (Johnson 29),Burton (Gilbert 62),Brunt,Wood,Watson,Clarke (McLean 46),Smek,Spurr Subs Lunt,Adams
A draw would have been a fair result and given City the point they needed for mathematical safety. Thankfully,Leeds defeat at Southampton was enough to give us Championship football next season but the 14th defeat of the season means this is our worst away season since relegation to the second tier.
HT SWFC 1-1 CCFC FT SWFC 2-1 CCFC
ATT 23,632
Goals Marcus Tudgay (16), Michael Mifsud (36), Steve McLean (69)
Referee PT Crossley
Booked Clarke,McNamee,Wood,McLean,Osbourne,Thornton
Team
Marshall,McNamee,Hall,Page,Ward,Tabb (Kyle 79),Hughes,Osbourne,Davis (Thornton 72),Adebola,Mifsud
SNU Steele,Birchall, Turner
Sheffield Wednesday
Turner,Bullen,Whelan,Tudgay (Johnson 29),Burton (Gilbert 62),Brunt,Wood,Watson,Clarke (McLean 46),Smek,Spurr Subs Lunt,Adams