STOKE CITY 0-1 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
If you are inept in front of goal,you are not going to win football matches and so it proved as Coventry City went down to a 1-0 defeat at Stoke City.
Another game moved by Sky as both sides were out of the League Cup, saw us heading up the M6 or A50 in our case as we had to meet our Leicestershire based driver on a cold,foggy Monday night.
Some of the City support, who decided to be there rather than watch it on the box or in the comfort of the pub as some including the Irish Supporters club did, managed to get tickets in the Stoke ends for a fiver whilst the rest of the SBA who numbered around the 300 mark paid £19 to be in the away end.
What we got for our money was a City team which included was Clive Clarke back in defence,Chris Birchall in midfield with Stern John up front with Leon McKenzie.
Clarke and Birchall were booed by the Stoke fans in a crowd of 19,055 as they emerged onto the pitch but the same supporters fell silent when met by taunts of "You Only Came For A Fiver"
City won a corner after only 21 seconds that came to nothing and as that happened,in came the fog.
What went on at times was very difficult to see from our vantage point high up in the away end.
However,we could see Robert Page make a superbly timed tackle in the 17th minute on Richardo Fuller to concede a corner.
To say Fuller was awful was an understatement, as twice he blasted very high over the bar followed by a low shot which was also very wide of the mark.
The look on the Jamaican's face said it all after he was mocked by some of the City support who had burst into songs performed by The Specials.
This,however was more than City created as apart from Leon McKenzie rounding the keeper and firing into the side netting,Micky Adams side were found wanting when going forward.
Just before the break, Stern John became the first City player booked.
Leon McKenzie joined his strike partner in Mr Boyeson's book six minutes after the restart.
If you are inept in front of goal,you are not going to win football matches and so it proved as Coventry City went down to a 1-0 defeat at Stoke City.
Another game moved by Sky as both sides were out of the League Cup, saw us heading up the M6 or A50 in our case as we had to meet our Leicestershire based driver on a cold,foggy Monday night.
Some of the City support, who decided to be there rather than watch it on the box or in the comfort of the pub as some including the Irish Supporters club did, managed to get tickets in the Stoke ends for a fiver whilst the rest of the SBA who numbered around the 300 mark paid £19 to be in the away end.
What we got for our money was a City team which included was Clive Clarke back in defence,Chris Birchall in midfield with Stern John up front with Leon McKenzie.
Clarke and Birchall were booed by the Stoke fans in a crowd of 19,055 as they emerged onto the pitch but the same supporters fell silent when met by taunts of "You Only Came For A Fiver"
City won a corner after only 21 seconds that came to nothing and as that happened,in came the fog.
What went on at times was very difficult to see from our vantage point high up in the away end.
However,we could see Robert Page make a superbly timed tackle in the 17th minute on Richardo Fuller to concede a corner.
To say Fuller was awful was an understatement, as twice he blasted very high over the bar followed by a low shot which was also very wide of the mark.
The look on the Jamaican's face said it all after he was mocked by some of the City support who had burst into songs performed by The Specials.
This,however was more than City created as apart from Leon McKenzie rounding the keeper and firing into the side netting,Micky Adams side were found wanting when going forward.
Just before the break, Stern John became the first City player booked.
Leon McKenzie joined his strike partner in Mr Boyeson's book six minutes after the restart.
Stoke looked up for the game in the second period and in the 52nd minute, Elliott Ward was forced to head off his own goal-line from a Sadibe header.
Chris Birchall headed wide but in the 59th minute. Coventry's defence and midfield were made to pay for some very slack marking and not picking up players when they allowed Andy Griffin time and room to rifle a shot which flew into the net from thirty yards.
Jay Tabb was sent on to liven up City straight after the goal and the Sky Blues chances of getting back into the game increased when in the 63rd, Stoke were reduced to ten men when Ricardo Fuller came flying in at Michael Doyle and was red carded.
The midfielder limped off six minutes later and was replaced by Dele Adebola
Chris Birchall headed wide but in the 59th minute. Coventry's defence and midfield were made to pay for some very slack marking and not picking up players when they allowed Andy Griffin time and room to rifle a shot which flew into the net from thirty yards.
Jay Tabb was sent on to liven up City straight after the goal and the Sky Blues chances of getting back into the game increased when in the 63rd, Stoke were reduced to ten men when Ricardo Fuller came flying in at Michael Doyle and was red carded.
The midfielder limped off six minutes later and was replaced by Dele Adebola
The Nigerian scored the winner in the corresponding fixture last season but unfortunately there was to be no repeat as although City when they weren't racking up the cautions, offered little until well into stoppage time.
With Don Hutchison on for Marcus Hall,City won a 90th minute corner and four minutes later,were awarded a free kick wide on the left flank.
Robert Page met the ball with his head and knocked it goalwards. Leon McKenzie got the final touch to steer the ball into the net.
The City support who'd been backing all the City players on the pitch and abusing the likes of Lee Hendrie and Michael Duberry were just about to go ballistic when the assistant referee on the Main Stand side raised his flag. Mr Boyeson consulted the assistant and much to our dismay ruled out the goal and condemned City to yet another away defeat.
HT SCFC 0-0 CCFC FT SCFC 0-1 CCFC
ATT 19,055
Goal Andy Griffin (59)
Referee C.Boyseon
Booked John,McKenzie,Page,Hall,Ward
Sent Off Richardo Fuller (63)
Team
Marshall,Clarke,Duffy,Ward,Page,Hall (Hutchison 81),Doyle (Adebola 69),Hughes,Birchall (Tabb 60),John,McKenzie
Stoke City
Simonsen,Griffin,Higginbotham; Duberry, Hoefkens,Diao,Hendrie, Russell, Chadwick (Brammer 85), Sidibe (Pericard 91), Fuller (sent off 63). SNU Wilkinson,Sweeney
With Don Hutchison on for Marcus Hall,City won a 90th minute corner and four minutes later,were awarded a free kick wide on the left flank.
Robert Page met the ball with his head and knocked it goalwards. Leon McKenzie got the final touch to steer the ball into the net.
The City support who'd been backing all the City players on the pitch and abusing the likes of Lee Hendrie and Michael Duberry were just about to go ballistic when the assistant referee on the Main Stand side raised his flag. Mr Boyeson consulted the assistant and much to our dismay ruled out the goal and condemned City to yet another away defeat.
HT SCFC 0-0 CCFC FT SCFC 0-1 CCFC
ATT 19,055
Goal Andy Griffin (59)
Referee C.Boyseon
Booked John,McKenzie,Page,Hall,Ward
Sent Off Richardo Fuller (63)
Team
Marshall,Clarke,Duffy,Ward,Page,Hall (Hutchison 81),Doyle (Adebola 69),Hughes,Birchall (Tabb 60),John,McKenzie
Stoke City
Simonsen,Griffin,Higginbotham; Duberry, Hoefkens,Diao,Hendrie, Russell, Chadwick (Brammer 85), Sidibe (Pericard 91), Fuller (sent off 63). SNU Wilkinson,Sweeney