COVENTRY CITY 1-3 BURNLEY BY KEV MONKS
Team
Westwood,Osbourne,Dann,Fox,Ward,Tabb (Simpson 39),Gunnarsson,Doyle (Beuzelin 73),Mifsud,Best (Morrison 65), Eastwood SNU Marshall,Hall
Burnley
Jensen, Duff,Carlisle,Caldwell,Kalvenes,Elliott, Gudjonnson (Eagles 70),Alexander,McCann (Blake 78),Paterson,Thompson (Rodriquez 83) SNU Penny, Van De Schaaf
HT CCFC 1-0 BFC FT CCFC 1-3 BFC ATT 14,621
REFEREE Mike Thorpe
BOOKED Osbourne,Doyle,Simpson,Beuzelin, Duff,Kalvenes, Paterson
GOALS Elliott Ward (38 pen), Michael Duff (51),Robbie Blake (87), Chris
Eagles (89)
MAN OF THE MATCH Isaac Osbourne took the votes again with nominations for Gunnarsson,Dann and Mifsud
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STARTING TEAM
Chris Coleman kept the same team that started against Wolves whilst Burnley fielded Coventrian Graham Alexander for his 700th Football League Appearance.
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CITY SUPPORT
An attendance of 14,621 was given but that is based on tickets sold not people in the ground. Around 12,000 were inside the Arena including 542 visitors from Burnley.
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Coventry City's horrendous defending saw them concede two late goals to go down to defeat at home to Burnley.
On a cold night at a Ricoh Arena, Chris Coleman sent his City team into the game with the message that they must take their chances after not putting away their quota against Wolves.
it was a message that seem to have hit home as the lively Michael Mifsud cut inside and fired not far wide seconds into the match.
However, Burnley managed by Owen Coyle, whom I once enjoyed a drink with after a City friendly at Airdrie, were an organised team and bided their time looking to play in Wade Elliott and Martin Paterson.
At times in the opening period, City were unable to find the rhythm and fluency that they had shown at Wolves on Saturday with Michael Doyle, who was unlucky with an eighth minute drive, along with Gunnarsson and Tabb not finding the space they wanted to play in the front two of Best and Eastwood.
In the 22nd minute,the vistors should have scored when Wade Elliott got down the right and crossed for Paterson to plant a tame header into the arms of Keiran Westwood.
Eastwood and Osbourne,who was again reminiscent of Mick Coop in the way he pushed forward, both had efforts go not far wide, when City were awarded a 36th penalty.
Michael Mifsud got inside the area and was taken down by Michael Duff. The Burnley players launched a protest at referee Mr Thorpe with the Assistant on the Tesco Stand side coming onto the pitch to give his fifty pence worth.
This delayed the spot kick for two minutes and left Elliott Ward waiting to take the kick. Ward was not put off by this brief delay as he stepped up and thumped the ball into the back of the Jewson Stand goal net before racing to the scoreboard end to celebrate.
Jay Tabb,who had just been passed fit to play, had picked up another knock and he had to be replaced by Robbie Simpson who took over his role on the right side of midfield.
Just before the break, Paterson and Doyle went into the book of Mr Thorpe for a bit of handbags.
The bookings continued into the second half with Issac Osbourne being cautioned by a card happy match official. The 'foul' by Osbourne had given Burnley a free kick and then another straight after by Ward, gave the Clarets a free kick in the 50th minute.
This was deflected for a corner. Elliott sent the ball to the back post and there was Michael Duff to bang the ball high into the net.
Osbourne forced Jensen into a save and Leon Best cut inside to beat a defender before firing agonisingly wide of the far post in the 62nd minute.
That was Best's last chance as the striker was replaced in the 65th minute by Clinton Morrison.
Initially, Morrison made a nuisance of himself by putting pressure on Jensen when Danny Fox superbly whipped in a cross, but it was not enough to change the game.
Chris Coleman sent on Guilly Beuzelin for Michael Doyle in another bid to change City's fortunes whilst Coyle had the same idea and sent on Robbie Blake and Chris Eagles.
The Sky Blues were denied a 75th minute penalty after Robbie Simpson had been pulled down by Steven Caldwell.
That was harsh but the penalty City received for not putting away their chances was a lot harsher.
Eagles had already waltzed through the City defence to fire wide when he picked out Robbie Blake on the right with three minutes of normal time left. Blake,who was once linked with a move to Coventry, got into the area before sending the ball over Westwood and into the net.
The City support sat with heads in hands, a number got up and left and two minutes later, they were joined by a massive swave when Chris Eagles hit a stunning drive from 25 yards high into the net to leave the away fans dancing with delight and the City support booing the team off on the final whistle.