SHEFFIELD UNITED 2-2 COVENTRY CITY
City: Jones, Stokes (Haynes 72) Pennington, Martin, Phillips, Fleck, Samuel, Barton (Finch 53), Tudgay, O\'Brien, Williams (G.Thomas 58). Subs Burge, Webster, Jackson, Turgott,
Sheffield United: Turner, Harris, Brayford, Bisham, Coutts (Freeman), McEveley, Done (McNulty 86) Campbell-Ryce (Kennedy 46), Doyle, Baxter, Murphy. Subs: Willis, Davis, Reed, Freeman, Adams.
HT SUFC 0-1 CCFC. FT SUFC 2-2 CCFC
ATT 20 314
Goals Dominic Samuel 32, 47, Michael Doyle 77, Jamie Murphy 79
-----------------
Coventry City dropped into the bottom four of the table after throwing away a two goal lead at Sheffield United.
With MK Dons and Bradford City having done their bit to keep City out of the drop zone, it was time for City to do it themselves and get a result at Sheffield United.
Steven Pressley gave a debut to Chris Stokes, who has signed on a 28 day loan for a City team in all sky blue who were backed by a following which was soon launching in to SISU Out and 'One Steven Pressley' chants.
The Blades,who featured the well applauded Micheal Doyle in their side, had a player booked in the fourth minute of a game which saw the Sky Blues starting positively.
Samuel sent a ninth minute effort high into the Kop end of a ground which still has bits of evidence from when it staged cricket matches,
Michael Doyle missed a cross and Harris fired at Jones, who could be making his last appearance for the Sky Blues before O\\'Brien was booked for a tackle from behind in the thirteenth minute.
The Blades won a corner straight after which Jones caught with ease.
O'Brien fired wide with a right footed twenty yarder before Jose Baxter was sent off for a disgraceful two footed lunge on Barton in the 18th minute and became the first player sent off against City for nearly a year since Preston's Kevin Davies.
The Sky Blues won a 28th minute corner that was headed to the keeper by Pennington. United broke and Murphy fired into the Jessica Ennis stand where the City support was in the upper tier.
The home fans were not happy about the dismissal and were berating the bald headed Mr Drysdale for not given a free kick.
United had the ball in the City end but it was cleared up to Dominic Samuel on his right via Jones, and the lonee from Bolton kept his cool cool and slipped the ball past former City loanee Iain Turner in the 32nd minute to give the Sky Blues the lead.
The City support went absolutely mental and a sky blue flare was let off sending a plume of blue smoke into the away end.
Five minutes later and Aaron Phillips fired over and then got in a cross which Turner somehow scrambled away.
Jones got down to save following a corner that had come from a free kick and Barton was booked in the three minutes of time that were added on.
With all the bottom four sides all winning at half-time, it was crucial that City got the win and that message must have been the one delivered by the City boss.
One hundred and forty seconds into the second half and the City fans were going mental when Dominic Samuel had a shot blocked and then volleyed home from ten yards at the second attempt to make it 2-0 to the Sky Blues.
The City defence, blocked a free kick as the rain came down but
allowed a shot from Harris to go well wide before Adam Barton was applauded off when he was replaced in the 53rd minute.
Five minutes later and Luke Williams trotted off ignoring the City support and was replaced by George Thomas, who quickly got in a shot which went not far wide of Turner's left hand post.
When City needed them, Stokes, Pennington, Martin and Phillps put in some cracking tackles, which helped the cause no end.
There was a delay when Jay McEveley needed treatment after landing heavily in the City penalty area but when play resumed, there was Thomas, whipping in another shot.
Chris Stokes who had a good debut was replaced by Ryan Haynes in the 72nd minute.
City looked comfortable but in the space of two minutes, it all went wrong when first Michael Doyle lobbed a ball into the net after Pennington had cleared off the line in the 77th minute and two minutes later, Jamie Murphy was allowed to fire home.
Six minutes were added on but City could not get a winner and what should have been a good win was cancelled out by two moments of slack defending and the Sky Blues now in the League One relegation zone.
Pictures copyright of Covsupport News Service.