COVENTRY CITY 0-0 PRESTON NORTH END BY KEV MONKS
Team
Westwood,Osbourne,Fox,Dann,Ward,Beuzelin (Tabb 86),Doyle, McKenzie (Mifsud 73),Best (Simpson 83),Morrisson,Eastwood SNU Marshall,Hall
Preston
Lonergan,Hart, Chaplow (Davidson 88),Mawene,Sedgewick (Wallace 83),Nicholson,St Ledger,Jones,Parkin,Mellor, McKenna (Carter 73) SNU Neal,Elliott
HT CCFC 0-0 PNEFC FT CCFC 0-0 PNEFC ATT 16,544
Referee Grant Hegley Bookings None
Man Of The Match - Freddie Eastwood took the votes whilst Beuzelin and Scott Dann had solid games
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STARTING LINE-UP
Coventry City manager Chris Coleman brought back Isaac Osbourne at right back, dropped Aron Gunnarsson who had been keen to play despite playing twice for Iceland and started Leon Best.
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CITY SUPPORT
With two league defeats on the trot and no transfer or loan activity, a crowd of 16,544 was that which was expected. Both sets of fans were noisy early on, especially the 1360 from Preston. Those at the back of the CT Stand did try to raise the atmosphere but with most of the support sunning themselves, their chants often went unjoined in with.
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Stopping a run of two defeats is one of the few positives that Coventry City can take from a bore draw with Preston North End at the Arena this afternoon.
Chris Coleman, who had failed to land a right back when the deal to sign Ulises De La Cruz fell through yesterday, tried confirmed midfielder Isaac Osbourne in at right back, moved Clinton Morrison to the right wing in a formation which many City supporters struggled to work out early on.
Coming after the disgrace at Doncaster and the two weeks of rumourville rumblings that followed Julian Gray's loan to Fulham, City needed to get into high flying Preston from the start.
This they did for the first fifteen minutes with Andy Lonergan, at the Jewson Stand end the busier of the two keepers as Clinton Morrison and Best had chances.
City had come out onto the pitch to Queen's "Fat Bottom Girls" but it was bare chested men around the stands as the pitch side temperature hotted up. This heat,coming after nearly a fortnight of rain, started to take it's toll on the players and the game was played with the pace of the pre-season friendly at Livingston which was watched by Preston Boss Alan Irvine.
In the 21st minute, Eastwood conjured a shot out of nothing and Lonergan did well to grab the ball at the second attempt. The ball was cleared up field and Westwood got down to save a tame effort from Neil Mellor.
It was the visitors who got nearest to scoring, eight minutes later, when a Nicholson corner was headed onto the crossbar and over by Sean St Ledger. Then with nine minutes of the first half remaining, Billy Jones got down the right and centred for Barry Nicholson to miss from four yards.
Danny Fox, whom I heard cruely labelled as "Ranson's Pet Scouser" by a City supporter at Doncaster, had let in the former Crewe man but he briefly redeemed himself with a superb 37th minute drive which Lonergan had to dive to his left to push round for a corner.
Fox again, struggled to find the right man with his set pieces far too often and after a brief opening flurry by the yellow shirted visitors in which Westwood made one good save to deny Mellor, Fox's failings to pick out his man meant that Preston soon regained possession from any set pieces.
At times during the second half, more of the crowd were entertained by ejections in both the away end and the CT than on the pitch.
Isaac Osbourne who did ok for his first Championship game of the season, made a great run in the 62nd minute and played the ball in for Eastwood to mis-hit but push the ball forward for Leon McKenzie to rifle a shot which Lonergan pushed round for a corner.
McKenzie was replaced by Michael Mifsud shortly afterwards. Jay Tabb came on to join Michael Doyle in midfield and Robbie Simpson also got a brief outing but the best chance fell to Clinton Morrison who swung a leg as the ball came into the box in the 89th minute. Unfortunately,he could not get the touch he wanted to turn the ball into the net and the look of frustration on the Republic Of Ireland's international's face echoed those of us who had seen this sunny stroll.
This match report is dedicated to the memory of Steve Spires and Dave "Happy" Kelly and to show our support for Paul Bennett in his fight against leukemia.