COVENTRY CITY 0-0 CHARLTON ATHLETIC BY KEV MONKS
TEAM
Westwood, Hall, E.Ward, Dann, Osbourne, Fox, Doyle, Beuzelin (Walker 74), Thornton (Cain 64), Eastwood, Morrison SNU Marshall, Grandison, Turner
CHARLTON
Elliott, Butterfield, Hudson, D.Ward, Youga, Zhi, Sam (Dickson 75), Shelvy (Ambrose 67), Racon, Bailey, Kandol (Burton 84). SNU Randolph, Holland
HT CCFC 0-0 CAFC FT CCFC 0-0 CAFC ATT 16,127
REFEREE C.Boyeson
BOOKED Sam
MAN OF THE MATCH Marcus Hall took the votes with nominations for Michael Doyle
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STARTING LINE UP
Chris Coleman made three changes from the team which had lost 4-0 at Plymouth. Ben Turner was dropped to the bench and replaced by Elliott Ward. Marcus Hall came in at left back to move Danny Fox to the left of midfield so Robbie Simpson could be omitted. The injured Aron Gunnarson was replaced by Kevin Thornton.
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At the end of last season, Charlton Athletic came within a goal post of relegating the Sky Blues and eleven months later, Coventry City failed to send The Addicks into League One with a 0-0 draw at the Ricoh Arena.
There was definitely a muted atmosphere as we made into our way on a sunny afternoon into the Ricoh Arena.
Whether it was a hangover from Saturday's pathetic showing at Plymouth or the fact that City had nothing to play for but for the City supporters in the first half, the Ricoh Arena was not the place they wanted to be.
The fare served up by the Sky Blues in the opening half was one of a team purely going through the motions and I have seen more effort in some friendlies than we witnessed in the first half this afternoon. For a club desperate to sell season tickets judging by all the emails supporters have been receiving, the best advert as to why we should bother to get a season ticket, i.e. the players have not been doing their bit to get us to pay their wages yet again.
Charlton who were backed by what was announced as 387 supporters, played like a team already down and if they had a bit more about them, they could have had a couple of goals.
The Addicks did get the ball in the net in the 21st minute when former Barnet and Millwall man Trevor Kandol dived to head from Youga's cross from the left past Keiren Westwood but it fell prey to the offside trap that City utilised in the opening period with some success.
This was after Michael Doyle who played reasonably well in midfield got in a sixth minute header and Elliott Ward had a header scrambled away before being adjudged by Mr Boyeson to have been shoving.
A 38th minute cross field shot from Clinton Morrison caused a brief problem for Charlton's keeper Rob Elliott at the Jewson Stand end and earned City the first of two corners.
But it did little to stop the crowd growing restless and it was no surprise that they were booed off at the break.
The announcement of the attendance of 16,127 brought a few howls of derision. If there was 14,000 in the Ricoh today, that's all there was.
The first bit of fight from either team came five minutes into the second half when Lloyd Sam got into Danny Fox. There was a bit of pushing and shoving in front of the press area, which resulted in Sam being shown a yellow card by a referee who tends to book only when he has to.
City then won two corners before Bailey went up the other end and had a shot deflected for a corner.
Kevin Thornton had been no worse than any other City player and in the 61st minute, a clever knock down played in Freddie Eastwood who drove a couple of feet wide from 24 yards out.
Thornton was replaced three minutes later to give Covsupport News Service - City U18's Player Of The Year Ashley Cain, his Football League debut.
Cain took up position on the right wing, a place he knows well in Greg Rioch's side and added a new dimension to the Sky Blues.
He was involved in a Michael Doyle deflected shot which won a 68th minute corner that was followed by a Fox cross from the left that saw Eastwood miss from six yards with only Elliott to beat.
In the 73rd minute, Cain made a darting run towards goal but was stopped by a great block from Youga who conceded a corner.
Cain was joined by U18's skipper Adam Walker who replaced Guillaume Beuzelin in midfield. Apart from one misplaced header. Adam Walker did well in midfield and looked comfortable going forward and was able to connect with his passes.
Four minutes from time, Cain was sent clear again but this time, he dragged his shot wide of the far post as Elliott came out.
Charlton went straight up the other end from the goal kick and Bailey got through to fire past Keiren Westwood, who collected the South Wales Supporters Club Player Of The Year trophy after the match, and hit the Ireland squad member's right hand post.
Cain won City a corner just before the end but the match finished goal-less and the Sky Blues were booed off again.