Early Strikes Cuts Down Blades

Last updated : 11 March 2006 By Covsupport
COVENTRY CITY 2-0 SHEFFIELD UNITED BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City turned in a sparking first half performance to beat Sheffield United 2-0 at the Arena.

Micky Adams, a fully confessed Sheffield United fan made only one change from the side that had earned a draw at Southampton a week ago with Gary McSheffrey coming back in after a two game suspension to replace Andy Morrell.

Dele Adebola should have put the Sky Blues who attacked the away end in the first half ahead inside ninety seconds when he got past the Blades defence but with just over four minutes gone,City did take the lead.

Robert Page sent the ball forward,Gary McSheffrey raced on to it and drove the ball low past the diving Paddy Kenny into the net in front of a five thousand strong Sheffield United following.

Neil Warnock's side who were six points ahead of third placed Leeds United at the start of play looked riled.

Danny Webber fired wide in the eleventh minute before McSheffrey almost doubled his tally when he sent a Stern John cut back across the face of the goal.

Micky Adams' tactics were spot on. If a Unitedite got to the ball, he was closed down by an industrious midfield or if they got any further, City's back four of Marcus Hall,Robert Page,Richard Shaw and Andy Whing all put in important touches to clear any danger.

As with the game at Southampton, there was as much action off the pitch as there was on it and an announcement for those in Block 16 of the NTL Stand, made by Jim Twynham in his last game as announcer, to take their seats had the opposite effect.

Robert Page headed a 27th minute cross from the left away from the goal-line with United winning two corners. Both were easily caught by the highly capable Marton Fulop.

In the 31st minute, City demonstrated their superiority by going further ahead thanks to a well worked move.

Michael Doyle curled a superb ball out to the over lapping Marcus Hall. The left back who won the text vote Man Of The Match cut the ball back inside for Dele Adebola to drive a right footed shot from inside the area into the far corner of the net.

With City fans chanting "Warnock, What's The Score?" whilst the police tried to clear fans in Block 16, Gary McSheffrey had a shot saved by Kenny from a Wise corner.

With five minutes of the half left and the City support growing increasingly frustrated with the decisions of referee Keith Stroud. The referee drew much derision when Nick Montgomery sent Richard Shaw crashing into a Main Stand advertising hoarding and got away Scot free,winning a free kick into the bargain.

Stern John did not have a chance heavy game but like every other Sky Blue player, ran and battled for all he was worth. In the 44th minute,John finally got through only for Paddy Kenny to push the ball round for a corner.

Now Dennis Wise knew going into the game that one more booking would mean a two game ban and the midfielder conceded a pointless foul and was cautioned just before the break.

Neil Warnock made a change at the break taking off Gary Flitcroft.
There were more ejections from the naughty corner which will be used by those in the JSB's next season. More trouble was spotted in the 61st minute,in the visitors concourse with stewards and police racing down the stairs to deal with whatever was going on and at the same time as others dealt with an incident in Block 16.

The police and stewards were certainly busier than Marton Fulop who had only a Chris Armstrong shot to deal with in the first twenty minutes of the second half.

Warnock made a second change in the 65th minute replacing Ade Akinbiyi with Steve Kabba. Akinbiyi had been kept quiet during the game but as he left the stadium at around 5.45pm, he confronted Don Hutchison in Car Park and made several threats to the City substitute and an older gentleman the Scot was with before storming off to where his car was parked.

In the 68th minute, Paddy Kenny just managed to grab a free kick which missed Adebola by inches and a minute later, Dennis Wise was on his knee, appealing in vain to the assistant referee on the NTL Stand side aggrieved at not being given a penalty after being fouled by Montgomery.

Geoff Horsfield became the third substitute used by Warnock whilst in the 75th minute, Don Hutchison replaced Gary McSheffrey and ten minutes later Andy Morrell came on for Stern John.
Dele Adebola and Marton Fulop were cautioned late on and Dennis Wise received a standing ovation as he was replaced by Kevin Thornton in the third minute of stoppage time.

By then,the game had long since been won and City's excellent run of home form continues.

HT CCFC 2-0 SUFC
FT CCFC 2-0 SUFC

ATT 23.506

GOALS Gary McSheffrey (4),Dele Adebola (31)

BOOKED Wise,Adebola,Fulop

TEAM
Fulop,Whing,Hall,Page,Shaw,Doyle,Scowcroft, Wise (Thornton 93),McSheffrey (Hutchison 75), Adebola,John (Morrell 86) SNU Ince,Williams

SHEFFIELD UNITED
Kenny,Flitcroft (Kozluk 46),Short,Morgan, Jagielka,Akinbiyi (Kabba 65),Shipperley (Horsfield 73),Webber,Montgomery, Armstrong,Geary SNU Dyer,Lucketti