COVENTRY CITY 2-2 NORWICH CITY BY KEV MONKS
When you are down in the relegation zone the last thing you can afford to do is to throw away points but Coventry City did just that to let Norwich City take a point from their first ever visit to the Arena.
Despite receiving backing in a poll in midweek, Micky Adams needs to convince the home support that he is still the man for the job and was again without skipper Stephen Hughes
who missed the defeat at Crystal Palace with an Achilles tendon injury.
Adams who could be a contender for a job at Sheffield United if Neil Warnock becomes the next Portsmouth boss as the bookies predict,had brought Don Hutchison in on loan after the Scot had been released by Millwall but he was only on the bench with Andy Morrell getting only his second start.
Backed by 3,000 plus East Anglians,the Canaries side saw the inclusion of former Sky Blues Calum Davenport and Darren Huckerby.
After a minute's applause to mark the passing of George Best,City attacked from the start and were ahead in less than three minutes.
The goal came through Gary McSheffrey,rumoured to be attracting the interest of Wigan and Sheffield United, if you believe internet rumours. The striker raced across the pitch before firing high into the net.
Seven minutes later and City were two goals to the good. This time,Dele Adebola broke away and kept his cool to slot confidently past the advancing Robert Green.
With Huckerby booed every time he touched the ball. Norwich won a corner and had an Ashton shot fly well wide.
Claus Jorgensen also went wide but it was not until the 33rd minute that the next incident occurred when Andy Hughes was booked after reacting to a Richard Duffy tackle for which the on loan defender was also booked.
Michael Doyle was the next player in the book. This gave Norwich a free kick which led to a corner. The 39th minute flag kick was knocked back for Calum Davenport to head in.
Darren Huckerby was replaced just before half-time and Coventry should have been ahead two minutes after the restart when Robert Page was left unmarked to head a McSheffrey corner onto the roof of the net.
One man incurring the wrath of the 20,433 crowd was the referee Rob Styles. I've no qualms about the amount of cautions he was making but some of his decisions were contentious to say the least.
In the 59th minute,the visitors thought they had scored. Fulop grabbed it and cleared upfield. Calum Davenport marked by McSheffrey was clearly seen to handle the ball. The assistant referee on the East Stand side also spotted it but Mr Styles over-ruled him.
Don Hutchison came on for the lacklustre Andy Morrell with twenty to go and showed a glimpse of his name sake Tommy two minutes later, when he twice beat his marker and delivered a pinpoint cross which was met by the head of Adebola but went inches wide of the far post.
Seven minutes later and City were two goals to the good. This time,Dele Adebola broke away and kept his cool to slot confidently past the advancing Robert Green.
With Huckerby booed every time he touched the ball. Norwich won a corner and had an Ashton shot fly well wide.
Claus Jorgensen also went wide but it was not until the 33rd minute that the next incident occurred when Andy Hughes was booked after reacting to a Richard Duffy tackle for which the on loan defender was also booked.
Michael Doyle was the next player in the book. This gave Norwich a free kick which led to a corner. The 39th minute flag kick was knocked back for Calum Davenport to head in.
Darren Huckerby was replaced just before half-time and Coventry should have been ahead two minutes after the restart when Robert Page was left unmarked to head a McSheffrey corner onto the roof of the net.
One man incurring the wrath of the 20,433 crowd was the referee Rob Styles. I've no qualms about the amount of cautions he was making but some of his decisions were contentious to say the least.
In the 59th minute,the visitors thought they had scored. Fulop grabbed it and cleared upfield. Calum Davenport marked by McSheffrey was clearly seen to handle the ball. The assistant referee on the East Stand side also spotted it but Mr Styles over-ruled him.
Don Hutchison came on for the lacklustre Andy Morrell with twenty to go and showed a glimpse of his name sake Tommy two minutes later, when he twice beat his marker and delivered a pinpoint cross which was met by the head of Adebola but went inches wide of the far post.
City needed a third goal to make sure but it never came. Nigel Worthington's side sensing that the game was not out of their reach when close with a number of free headers.
Seven minutes from time, Coventry City went into suicide mode. Marton Fulop tried to punch a cross clear, however the Hungarian could only fist the ball down for Canaries sub Craig Flemming to ram the ball into the net from close range.
It was a bitter blow and drew more boos on the final whistle and saw Micky Adams summonded to the board-room.
HT CCFC 2-1 NCFC
FT CCFC 2-2 NCFC
ATT 20,433
Goals
McSheffrey (2),Adebola (9),Davenport (39), Flemming (84)
Booked
Duffy,Hughes,Doyle,Scowcroft,Hall,Flemming,Adebola
FT CCFC 2-2 NCFC
ATT 20,433
Goals
McSheffrey (2),Adebola (9),Davenport (39), Flemming (84)
Booked
Duffy,Hughes,Doyle,Scowcroft,Hall,Flemming,Adebola
Team
Fulop,Hall,Page,Duffy,Heath,Doyle,Adebola,McSheffrey,Scowcroft,Jorgensen (Thornton 91),Morrell(Hutchison 69).
Subs Ince,Whing,Shaw,Hutchison,Thornton
Norwich
Green,Drury,Huckerby (Brennan 42),Thorne,Ashton,Hughes (McVeigh 49),Wright (Flemming 46), Henderson, Davenport,Doherty,Robinson
Subs
Gallacher,Jarvis,