COVENTRY CITY 2-1 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City roared back into eleventh place in the table with a 2-1 home victory over Sheffield Wednesday at the Arena.
On a cold blowy, Wednesday night and with gridlock outside the ground hampering the efforts of many of the 20,021 crowd including fans from Canada trying get into the stadium, City took to the field.
They were without Richard Shaw who had a neck injury and Marcus Hall who picked up a hamstring injury. Matt Heath went to right back with Andy Morrell and Stern John both getting a start. Don Hutchison was given a place on the bench as was reserve team left back Ryan Lynch.
Attacking the CET Stand end, Dennis Wise had a ninth minute effort which Wednesday's stand in keeper Chris Adamson grabbed with ease.
Now earlier in the day, City MD Paul Fletcher had issued a press statement regarding City supporters not using foul and abusive language and in the 13th minute, it was clear that this had fallen on deaf ears as a lovely ball from Michael Doyle played in Dele Adebola.
The Nigerian did well to keep the ball in play on the by line and cut back inside. He was sent to the ground by Diallo but to everyone's amazement, referee Rob Styles who again did not have a particularly good game came up with the opinion that a foul had not been committed. If this was the case,then surely Adebola should have been cautioned for trying to gain an unfair advantage but no action was taken.
In the 14th minute, there was more singing of the song for Dennis Wise which seems to have offended certain members of the media (don't recall any complaints about the song for Mo Konjic which also contained an expletive), as the midfielder rifled a twenty five yarder which Adamson pushed onto the bar and over for a corner.
The first real chance for Sheffield Wednesday who brought close to 3,000 fans with them,came in the 18th minute when Steve MacLean volleyed wide.
The Wednesdayites had been given Robert Page some stick for playing for their rivals Sheffield United and in the 22nd minute,they cheered as Page was booked for a trip.
Stern John along with his strike partner Dele Adebola again looked a handful and the Trinidadian had shots in the 24th minute and six minutes later,seconds after an ejection from block 17.
City had already won one corner when seconds later, Drissa Diallo raced to try and prevent another corner and fell down taking the ball over the byline with him. Diallo hit the deck and didn't move. Referee Rob Styles was straight on the spot and summoned help for the former Ipswich player who was helped to his feet,but had picked up a hamstring injury and replaced by Chris Blunt.
In the 35th minute, Dennis Wise picked up another booking for a trip and then was sent to the ground by Glenn Whelan who was also booked.
Stern John and Adebola both managed shots as the game went into stoppage time and as it did,City scored. A foul on Dennis Wise gave City a free kick some thirty yards out. Michael Doyle knocked the ball to his left for Gary McSheffrey who curled the ball to the far post where Stern John stuck out a leg to send the ball into the net.
With the half-time entertainment being a display by the Royal Marines Combat team, Marton Fulop was soon in action when the game restarted saving with his feet from a Brunt effort.
Another decision which Mr Styles got wrong came in the 49th minute when Gary McSheffrey won back the ball. Mr Styles amazingly gave Wednesday a free kick which Brunt sent wide and then had the cheek to try and claim a corner.
Adie Williams was in commanding form at the back for City and in the 54th minute,the Welshman made two important blocks to thwart Burton O'Brien shots.
In the 56th minute,Paul Sturrock made his second change bringing on Leon Best for Barry Corr.
Although,Wednesday were coming back into the game, they were still struggling with Dele Adebola. The Nigerian raced onto a through ball,only for Adamson to come out clear the ball and fall heavily. The next time,Adebola had the ball,he showed some excellent touches to cut the ball inside for Michael Doyle to fire over.
In the 73rd minute, it was the City fans who were on their feet when Sturrock made his final substitution bringing on former Sky Blue Richie Partridge who received a good ovation from most of the City support.
Micky Adams also felt it was time to change things round and sent on Claus Jorgensen for Andy Morrell. The change worked wonders as in the 75th minute, City doubled their tally when Dennis Wise won a free kick. The former England international got up and took the kick very quickly,feeding it through to Gary McSheffrey who stroked the ball past Adamson and into the bottom corner.
As the City fans celebrated, members of the St Johns Ambulance raced in front of the East Stand and up into Block 24 to deal with an emergency.
In the 79th minute, Wednesday pulled one back. Robert Page conceded a free kick some twenty yards out. The ball was banged out to Chris Brunt on the right who hit a powerful drive which Fulop could only get a hand to as it flew into the net.
With seven to go, Stern John was replaced by Don Hutchison as City held on to ensure a deserved victory.
HT CCFC 1-0 SWFC
FT CCFC 2-0 SWFC
ATT 20,021
GOALS Stern John (45),Gary McSheffrey (75), Chris Brunt (79)
Booked Page,Wise,Whelan
Team
Fulop,Whing,Heath,Page,Williams,Wise,Doyle, Morrell (Jorgensen 74),McSheffrey,Adebola, John (Hutchison 83) SNU Ince,Lynch,Thornton
Wednesday
Adamson,Bullen,Folly (Partridge 73),Coughlan, Whelan,O'Brien,MacLean,Diallo (Brunt 35), Simek,Gilbert,Corr (Best 56). SNU Kirby,Tudgay