NOTTINGHAM FOREST 2-0 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
28/12/09 At The City Ground - Championship
Coventry
Westwood, Cranie, Wood, Barnett, van Aanholt, McIndoe, Gunnarsson, Bell (Eastwood 63), Cork (Clingan 70), Best (Madine 83). SNU Ireland, Ward, Wright, McPake
Forest
Camp, Gunter, Morgan, Wilson, Shorey, Majewski (McGuigan 84), McKenna, Cohen, Tyson (McCleary 61), Blackstock,Earnshaw (Adebola 73). SNU Smith, McGoldrick, Anderson, Chambers
HT NFFC 1-0 CCFC FT NFFC 2-0 CCFC ATT 28,608
Goals Rob Earnshaw (42), Dexter Blackstock (77)
Referee M.Clattenburg Booked Tyson
Man Of The Match Martin Cranie and Patrick van Aanholt took the votes with a nomination for Richard Wood in our car.
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Coventry City ended 2009 with a defeat at Nottingham Forest.
The Sky Blue Army was out in force with 2,120 City supporters including visitors from Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Southern Ireland, Germany and South Wales, making their way to the City Ground in Nottingham.
City took on a Forest side rejuventated by good investment, who were went into the game third in the table. However, for most of the opening period, it was difficult to tell which team was in the play-off places as City who were without James McPake and Freddy Eastwood, matched Forest in every department.
Attacking the end where the City fans were housed, Coventry through Best and Gunnarsson created early chances. Forest had a goal ruled out in the tenth minute and eleven minutes later, a stunning one handed save from Keiren Westwood denied Earnshaw's shot on the turn.
When required to do so, City defended well with the back four all solid. City's best chance came in the 35th minute when a break saw the ball fall to Leon Best. The Nottingham born striker in what could be his last game for City, hit a good shot, which Lee Camp fumbled past the post for a corner.
The part-time Forest fans to our left, had our sides splitting with the "Lee Camp For England" chant but in the 42nd minute, they were the ones with smiles on their faces when a City free kick by Bell was cleared and Forest countered. The ball was held up long enough for Robbie Earnshaw to get the ball on the right of the penalty area and smash it into the net for the opening goal.
Unfortunately, there was to be no comeback for the Sky Blues in the second half and it was Forest who had the better of the play and the chances in the second period.
Dexter Blackstock missed from a Tyson left sided cross in the 51st minute before City who had been conceding possession too easily, made their first change in the 63rd minute when Freddy Eastwood replaced David Bell.
Seven minutes later, former Forest man Sammy Clingan, who had been heavily abused by the home fans in the dilapidated Main Stand came on for Jack Cork. We gave him a big cheer and there was some applause when former Sky Blue Dele Adebola, was introduced by Billy Davies. .
The striker, who left City for Bristol City a couple of seasons ago, made his mark on the game in the 77th minute when Adebola played Dexter Blackstock inside the area and the former QPR man lashed the ball into the net with aplomb.
Leon Best got some good applause when he was replaced by Gary Madine with seven minutes left. The fifth best striker from Carlisle failed to add anything as City ended 2009 with a defeat.