COVENTRY CITY 2-2 MIDDLESBROUGH BY KEV MONKS
Date 26/09/09 At The Ricoh Arena Championship
Team
Westwood, Clarke, Turner (Ward 76), Wright, Hall (van Aanholt 46), Clingan, Osbourne (Gunnarsson 46), Cork, McIndoe, Best, Morrison SNU Konstanopolous, Eastwood, Cranie, Cain
Middlesbrough
Jones, Hoyte, O’Neill, Williams, Bennett, Arca, Johnson (Yeates 73), Wheater (Gounds 63), St Ledger, Aliadiere, Emnes (Lita 52)
HT CCFC 0-2 MFC FT CCFC 2-2 MFC ATT 16,771
Goals Sean St Ledger (39), Rhys Williams (45+1), Clinton Morrison (77), Leon Best (90+4)
Referee G.Horwood Booked Bennett, Johnson, Wright, Lita
Man Of The Match Keiren Westwood took the votes with nominations for Jack Cork and Jordan Clarke.
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Coventry City left it late to snatch a point against Middlesbrough at the Ricoh Arena.
Chris Coleman, who attended the fans forum last night, made one change to a City side that had lost 3-2 at Preston North End and he fielded Jordan Clarke, who this week was called up for England U19’s ahead of Martin Cranie.
In front of a 16,771 crowd at the Ricoh Arena on another sunny afternoon, which also included former City player and manager Gordon Strachan as well as Middlesbrough fan and former referee Jeff Winter, Gareth Southgate’s side, who had lost 5-0 to West Brom last week started on the attack with Emnes forcing a save from Westwood after only 45 seconds.
Attacking the CT Stand for the first half, Clinton Morrison, who worked hard, got down the right in the fifth minute and crossed from the right for Leon Best to rise and head just over the crossbar.
Another stop from the Westwood was followed in the 27th minute by City, who were relying on counter attacking rather than taking the game to the side relegated from the Premier League, getting the ball up to Morrison who jinked into space before not far firing wide of the far post.
Now, my mate Ray from Ireland, who very rarely sees a City win and is something of a jinx, was sat a few rows behind me with a young friend of his, Donnacha Lynch from Cork, who was seeing his first ever City game and at half time, he was being blamed as Coventry went in, two goals down.
Ray & Donnacha
The first came on 39 minutes when poor marking at a corner let in Sean St Ledger, who seems to enjoy scoring against City when he was with his parent club Preston, for a free header, which he duly dispatched into the net.
The second came in the second minute of stoppage time and was the result of some comical defending failing to clear the ball and it falling for Rhys Williams to bang home.
City were booed off at the break so Coleman went for a double change. He replaced Isaac Osbourne, who had not trained all week with Aron Gunnarsson and Marcus Hall with fit again Patrick van Aanholt.
Sammy Clingan was involved at both ends as the half restarted. A 47th minute long ball went just over before Middlesbrough went up the other end and won a corner which the Ulsterman cleared a yard off the goal-line.
Westwood pulled off a good save from Adam Johnson as the scoreboard boys enjoyed some banter with a group of shirtless Boro fans in the away end.
The rest of the crowd were getting restless. A drummer, sounding more like he should have been in an Orange Order parade, was not adding to the atmosphere and we sat waiting for a bit of inspiration on the pitch.
It arrived in the 77th minute. Ben Turner had been forced off with a knock and was replaced by Elliott Ward. City got the ball on the Main Stand side through Jordan Clarke. The Coundon kid chipped the ball forwards for Leon Best to head into the path of Clinton Morrison who turned before firing home from seven yards out.
The grandstand finish was on. With the crowd duly lifted, there was a bizarre incident, which saw Elliott Ward incorrectly cautioned by referee Mr Horwood just before the game went into stoppage time.
Four minutes were added and in the last seconds. City got a free kick. Clingan, picked out Elliott Ward. The centre half with the uncertain future, played the ball to the back post and there was Leon Best who netted to earn City a point and send the Sky Blue Army home happy with a draw that for long periods looked unlikely.