COVENTRY CITY 3-1 BLACKPOOL BY KEV MONKS
Team
Marshall,Osbourne,Ward,Turner,Borrowdale (Thornton 85), Simpson,Hughes,Doyle,Tabb (McNamee 77),Mifsud,Best(Adebola 56) SNU Kyle,Konstantopolous
Blackpool
Rachubka,Barker,Jackson,Gorkss (Sent off 81), Gold, Taylor-Fletcher (Vernon 74),Fox,Southern (Welsh 74),Flynn, Morrell (Parker 66),Hoolahan SNU Hills,Jorgensen
HT CCFC 1-1 BFC FT CCFC 3-1 BFC
Referee M.Thorpe
Booked Ward,Best, Taylor-Fletcher,Gorkss X2,Hughes,Simpson
Att 15,803
Goals Andy Morrell (31), Michael Doyle (pen 43), Michael Mifsud (68),Robbie Simpson (85)
Man Of The Match Stephen Hughes pipped Michael Doyle by one vote.
________________________________________
Starting Formation
Mifsud Best
Tabb Doyle Hughes Simpson
Borrowdale Ward Turner Osbourne
Marshall
_______________________________________
WEATHER
A not too unpleasant night with no rain.
_______________________________________
CITY SUPPORTERS
This was the smallest attendance for a league game since the personal agenda merchants moved us to the Arena. Considering Blackpool brought with them 1100 supporters. It was a poor turn out.
Those who did turn up,gave the team some good backing.
______________________________________
Andy Morrell scored on his return to the Ricoh Arena but it was the Sky Blues who had the last laugh winning 3-1.
Iain Dowie only made one change from the team that had drawn against Charlton on Saturday and replaced David McNamee with Isaac Osbourne.
Now a less than half-full Arena is not the best place for someone to be banging a drum and the drummer in the Blackpool end was beating away merrily as former Sky Blues Andy Morrell and Claus Jorgensen both got good ovations when their names were read out.
This drumming which was echoing round the stadium continued as the match kicked off with City attacking the Jewson Stand end.
In common with a number of league games of late, the Sky Blues did not start well. The tactic of lumping the ball to Robbie Simpson did not pay off as Michael Jackson was beating (or should it be "beat it") the former student in the air every time.
This meant that Michael Mifsud was not given as much of the ball as he wanted and the City support demanded and with Leon Best struggling, things were flat early on.
In the 20th minute, two corners were won but came to nothing. Gary Borrowdale and Robbie Simpson both tried their luck and both missed the target.
Just past the half hour mark, the first goal of the evening came and yes it was that moment that many predicted in that Andy Morrell would get the opening goal of the game.
There had been plenty of chants from the CT Stand for Andy Morrell, who like a number of players had been treated shabbily by Micky Adams and Adrian Heath before this free kick which was delivered into the box by David Fox,following a foul by Stephen Hughes.
Morrell, who was spotted amongst the City fans at Old Trafford last week as well as games at Preston and Burnley last season, got his head to the ball as it went past Marshall into the net.
To his credit,there was no celebration and he made his way back to the centre circle and got on with the game. It was a gesture well applauded by the City faithful.
The deficit lasted for eleven minutes when referee Mr Thorpe who had cautioned Elliott Ward, pointed to the penalty spot after Michael Mifsud had got into the penalty area and was taken down right in front of the corner section where the visiting supporters were housed.
Michael Doyle took the penalty, Rachubka guessed correctly but was nowhere near the ball as it hit the back of the net.
As we approached the break, Leon Best and Kaspars Gorkss were given yellow cards.
The usual half-time rollicking or words of encouragement from Dowie and his backroom staff lifted the City players for the second half.
Michael Doyle who had a stormer of a game was busy. The Irishman worked hard in midfield and was happy to have a pop at goal if the chance arose.
In the space of three minutes, Doyle had two efforts on goal. His first was well blocked by Flynn with the second going wide of the far post.
Dele Adebola was sent on to increase the attack prowess of the Sky Blues before Taylor-Fletcher,Simpson and Hughes were all in Mr Thorpe's book.
In the 65th minute, City won the first of two corners. Issac Osbourne who was taking corners on the left, sent one deep into the mix. Shaun Barker was first to the ball but played it back towards his own. It had reached the goal-line when somehow, Rachubka managed to scramble it away.
It was at this point, that Simon Grayson decided to intervene and make a substitution. Andy Morrell was the man brought off. He received a good ovation from the Blackpool support and clapped them. Then he looked round and spotted the City supporters on their feet and clapped them.
Many had hoped that Claus Jorgensen who was named amongst the substitutes would get a run-out but it was not to be.
In the 68th minute,the City supporters were back on their feet when Michael Mifsud cottoned on to an inch perfect through ball from Dele Adebola. The Maltese international kept his cool and slotted the ball past the advancing keeper to record his seventh goal of the season and his fourth in three matches.
Blackpool made two further changes and David McNamee replaced Jay Tabb who was struggling with some of the visitors forcefulness.
With just over ten minutes of the match remaining, Blackpool were reduced to ten men when Gorkss, who was booked in the first half, brought down Adebola as he was going for goal.
City were now chomping at the bit to get another goal and in the 85th minute, it came when an Osbourne corner was met on the far side by the hard working Ben Turner who nodded downwards.
Robbie Simpson got in a header, there were men on the line but the ball went over the line before it was cleared. Mr Thorpe agreed with the City players and supporters appeals and awarded the goal to give City a deserved win based on their second half performance.