COVENTRY CITY 1-2 DERBY COUNTY BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City went down to their third consecutive defeat with a 2-1 home defeat by Derby County.
Micky Adams, who reacted to the defeat at Stoke on Monday night by relinquishing Stephen Hughes of the role of Club Captain,shipping Matt Heath out to Leeds and releasing Ryan Lynch made two changes in the starting line-up. Chris Birchall was dropped to the bench with Jay Tabb coming backing.
The other change saw Stephen Hughes replaced by Don Hutchison with no place for the former Arsenal man on the bench.
Hughes, who was not the worst player in the team on Monday night, must have been unhappy at this decision,seen by some as personal rather than for playing reasons, and was reported to be seen driving away from the ground fifteen minutes before kick off.
With no Hughes in the squad, Adams decided for only the second time in a league game this season to have a substitute keeper in Rafa Gonzalez on the bench.
On a cold day at the Arena and one which remembered those who served the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth in the two World Wars and various other conflicts, Elliott Ward had the ball in the net inside five minutes but this was ruled out for offside.
The Sky Blues should have been ahead two minutes later when a good move saw Jay Tabb find Leon McKenzie who set Stern John for what looked an easy chance on goal. With only former City keeper Stephen Bywater to beat, John went for the spectacular but could only dink the ball over the bar.
Derby, who also included former Sky Blues Marc Edworthy and Dean Leacock in their starting eleven, delighted their following of not far off 3,000 when they took the lead in the tenth minute.
Jon Stead who is on loan at Pride Park was able to free himself from the gaze of Robert Page, then move himself away from Richard Duffy who had come over to cover and turn to thump a shot from twelve yards high into the net.
Derby had taken the lead early on last season and gone on to lose 6-1 so myself and very good friends from San Francisco,Cardiff and Nottingham were not unduly worried, as the way City were playing it was only a matter of time before they scored.
Coventry,who have been linked with a loan move for Danny Murphy, won two corners and should have had a penalty when Leon McKenzie was sent crashing by Leacock. Referee Mr Probert decided that a corner was fair reward.
But in the 21st minute,our faith was repaid when City drew level. This time, Jay Tabb's initial shot was cleared for a throw in. Clive Clarke who for me looked a good threat down the left sent over a ball, Don Hutchison flicked it on for Stern John who this time stabbed the ball into the net.
The last time,Stephen Bywater played against the Sky Blues in a reserve team game, the former on loan keeper was in a charitable mood. This time he wasn't as Bywater made a good save from a 26th minute Michael Doyle shot.
Fouls on McKenzie and Tabb brought bookings for Seth Johnson and Paul Boertien. The second of these offences brought a free kick and a good save from Stephen Bywater from a Hutchison place kick.
At half-time, City's CEO Paul Fletcher did a "Delia", appealing for an atmosphere from the few in the Arena Bowl not queuing for the toilets or the refreshment outlets.
The atmosphere did improve at bit and the sprinklers coming on two minutes into the second half and making an already slippery surface even more greasy on the Main Stand side,raised a few cheers.
Clarke and McKenzie both won corners before the former Norwich striker set up Stern John who fired wide from twelve yards in the 53rd minute.
Rams boss Billy Davies was an animated figure on the touchline and in the 56th minute brought on Darren Moore,a player Adams had failed to sign on transfer deadline day and then two minutes later, the former Preston boss introduced Ryan Smith to the action.
With twenty minutes left, the visitors raised their game and looked threatening. The away support had been appealing for a 73rd minute penalty but were cheering two minutes later when poor marking at a corner allowed Steve Howard to loop a header into the far corner of the net.
To their credit,City tried to get back into the game and good work from the industrious Jay Tabb saw him hold a 79th minute ball whilst on the ground and knock the ball forward to Clive Clark who in turn flicked the ball for Michael Doyle who shot across the face of the goal.
Four minutes later, Robert Page, who did not have one of his better games in defence, was at the other end to fire agonisingly wide.
Dele Adebola was sent on for Jay Tabb in the 85th minute and a minute later, the question of "could Don Hutchison last for ninety minutes?" was answered when the former Millwall midfielder who played reasonably well was replaced by Colin Cameron who was booed by some in the back reaches of the CT Stand.
In the 87th minute,Michael Doyle had a shot saved by Bywater with his right boot but the flag was up for offside.
City could not find a way through again and ended up a beaten side with a good number of boos from those who stayed until the end.
HT CCFC 1-1 DCFC FT CCFC 1-2 DCFC
ATT 19,701
Goals Jon Stead (10),Stern John (21),Steve Howard (75)
Referee Lee Probert Booked Johnson,Boertein,Barnes,Duffy, Howard
Team
Marshall,Duffy,Page,Ward,Hall,Doyle,Tabb (Adebola 85),Hutchison (Cameron 86), Clarke, John,McKenzie SNU Gonzalez,Andrews,Birchall
Derby
Bywater,Edworthy,Leacock,Johnson (Moore 56),Bisgaard (Smith 58),Howard,Stead (Lupoli 72),Boertein,Johnson,Oakley,Barnes SNU Grant,.Bolder