LEICESTER CITY 1-1 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
Date 26/02/11 At Walkers Stadium
Team
Westwood, Keogh, O'Halloran (Clingan 63), Wood, Cameron, Cranie (sent off 88), Gunnarsson, Baker (Eastwood 70), Bell, Jutkiewicz, King. SNU Ireland, Hussey, McSheffrey, O'Donovan, Ruffles.
Leicester
Ricardo, Naughton, Bamba, Bruma, Van Aanholt, Wellens, Abe (Oakley 85), Vassell (Waghorn 74), Yakubu, Gallagher (Dyer 69). SNU Weale, Leonardo, Vitor, Teixiera, Mee
HT LCFC 1-1 CCFC FT LCFC 1-1 CCFC ATT 25, 356
GOALS Marlon King (14), Kyle Naughton (44)
Referee G.Scott Booked O'Halloran, Gunnarsson, Cranie X2, Bamba
Man Of The Match Nathan Cameron took the votes in our car with a nomination for David Bell.
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The chances of Coventry City getting anything from a trip to mega bucks Leicester City had been written off by the bookies and many but the Sky Blues put in a good performance to take an excellent point at the Walkers Stadium.
The charging of £30 or £32 on the day put many City supporters off going and there was only 1300 City supporters from as far away as Larne in Northern Ireland, Brighton, London and Kent in the away corner of the Walkers Stadium as the sun arrived at the same times as the team entered the pitch.
City, playing in their green and black away kit, fielded the same team which had lost to Swansea on Tuesday night whilst Leicester fielded former City loanee Patrick Van Aanholt as one of four loanees who have transformed Sven Goran Eriksson's outfit into one with promotion aspirations.
As you would expect for an M69 derby, there was plenty of noise from the City support and unfortunately, versions of the Marlon King song, which had provoked outrage amongst some of the support, was louder from those at the back of the stand, than anything of a family related nature that we normally direct at the Leicester fans to our left and right.
City knew they were going to have to defend stoutly and this they did. Despite Darius Vassell finding it too easy at times to get past Stephen O'Halloran, the Sky Blues weathered the early pressure with Keiren Westwood making a good save after five and a half minutes with his leg.
David Bell, who had a fine game against Swansea on Tuesday night, continued in the same vein and sent a header over the bar at the end nearest to the City supporters thanks to good work from Marlon King and Aron Gunnarsson who worked hard for City in midfield.
Fellow midfielder Martin Crane tried his luck with a long ranger which went straight into the arms of the Portuguese keeper but that only served as a marker as Lukas Jutkiewicz sent over a 14th minute cross and MARLON KING turned on the edge of the six yard box to hammer the ball into the net.
The City fans went wild as some of the home fans to our right issued death threats right in front of the watching stewards and police, who to be fair were better than in recent visits.
There were still celebrations going on when Marlon King got the ball in the 18th minute and rounded the keeper. Somehow with the goal at his mercy and it looking easier to score, he fluffed his shot and City were only one goal up instead of two.
Bell just missed with a twenty-yard screamer before Lukas Jutkiewicz got to the edge of the area. and got in a shot, which Richardo pushed away for a corner.
Bell sent that flag kick in and Richard Keogh rose. We held our breath as the ball went towards the goal but it struck the bar and crashed down to earth where the home keeper was able to grab it before another City player could touch it.
Leicester wasted two chances at the other end and were met with chants of "You Couldn't Score With Your Sister" from the Coventry support.
With the likes Carl Baker, who was being called a light-weight by many around me for being pushed off the ball two easily and Aron Gunnarsson starting to give away possession very cheaply, Leicester started to attack more frequently.
They had two corners in the 41st minute and two minutes later, Lukas Jutkiewicz had to settle for a corner. The striker, who again worked hard, had got a yard or so into the penalty area. A foot came in and if he had gone down, it would have been a certain penalty (well maybe not with some referees), but he stayed on his feet and won a corner which King fired well over from.
Leicester cleared the danger and broke upfield. With Carl Baker standing off, KYLE NAUGHTON was allowed to get to a cross field ball and carve his way into a 44th minute shooting position from which he drove the ball into the net.
Stephen O'Halloran and then Aron Gunnarsson went into the book of Mr Scott, who handled the game well, as the second half restarted.
Nathan Cameron made a cracking clearance before King fired over and Jutkiewicz won a 55th minute corner.
On the hour mark, a late tackle by Martin Cranie after he had initially lost possession saw him join the list of cautions. Leicester got a free kick from this. The ball was headed on and fell for Bamba who thankfully steered his shot onto Westwood's right hand post.
With Stephen O'Halloran on a final warning from the referee, Aidy Boothroyd sent on Sammy Clingan for his first outing since a knee injury had kept him out since November.
Martin Cranie slotted in at left back and continued to work hard like the rest of his team mates to prevent Leicester, who had moved Sol Bamba up front, from adding any more to their goals account for the afternoon.
Freddy Eastwood replaced Carl Baker with twenty minutes to go and apart from two corners, it was now the Sky Blues who were being stopped from attacking.
Martin Cranie made a great block to concede a corner from which Van Aanholt had his first of two shots well over the bar but two minutes from time, a late tackle saw the former Portsmouth player go into Mr Scott's book for a second time and he got his marching orders to good applause from the Coventry support.
Jutkiewicz became the third left back of the afternoon but City held firm despite Marlon King conceding a stoppage time corner and got the point they thoroughly deserved for an excellent performance.
This match report is dedicated to the memory of one of my best mate's mum who sadly passed away on Thursday night.
Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM