COVENTRY 2-0 WATFORD BY KEV MONKS
02/04/11 at the Ricoh Arena
Team
Westwood, Clarke (Cameron 54), Keogh, Cranie, Hussey, Clingan, McSheffrey, Gunnarsson, Bell (McIndoe 76), Eastwood (Jutkiewicz 64), Platt. SNU Quirke, O'Halloran, Platt, O'Donovan
Watford
Loach, Hodson, Eustace, Taylor, Cowie, Jenkins (Drinkwater 46), Bennett, Weimann (Deeley 76), Whichelow (Buckley 46), Thompson, Graham. SNU Gilmartin, Sordell, Mingola, Aldred
HT CCFC 1-0 WFC FT CCFC 2-0 WFC ATT 16,519
GOALS Gary McSheffrey (26), Lukas Jutkiewicz (65)
Referee C. Boyeson Booked Keogh, McSheffrey, Thompson
Man Of The Match - Sammy Clingan took the votes with nominations for Richard Keigh, Keiren Westwood and Marlon King.
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Life always looks better after a win and Coventry City were celebrating their first three points for eight matches with a 2-0 victory over Watford at the Ricoh Arena.
With the question on the lips of every Coventry City supporter as to what is going on at City, provoking more questions than answers, it was difficult to remember that this was a vital game for the Sky Blues who still need to confirm their place in next season's Championship.
It was also a topic that was much on the agenda high up in the Main Stand's Eon Lounge where the Coventry City Former Players Association were holding their annual Legends Day.
Over fifty City players including the likes of Ronnie Farmer, Ian Gibson, Bill Glazier, Ian Wallace, Tommy Hutchison to youngsters like Noel Whelan and David Smith had a good lunch before introduced along with myself as Football League Fan Of The Year 2011, to a huge ovation from a packed lounge.
Thoughts were turning to what team Andy Thorn and Steve Harrison would field and the team they fielded saw Jordan Clarke in at right back with Richard Keogh at centre half along with Martin Cranie who had overcome an injury.
Lukas Jutkiewicz was dropped to the bench and back after his four game ban was Marlon King playing against his former team as did John Eustace who was making his 100th appearance for Watford.
The calls to turn up and back the team had been heeded and there were two thousand extra City supporters including supporters from America and Denmark, who were in the Ricoh Arena stands on a warmish afternoon.
It was the CT Stand that City attacked for the first half and with the 1600 Watford fans chanting the name of Aidy Boothroyd, Marlon King had a stinging shot beaten away by Hornets and England U21 keeper Scott Loach.
City kept switching from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3 as Watford went up the other end in the fifth minute and nearly took the lead when an Andrew Weimann volley went just wide off Keiren Westwood's right hand post.
With Malky McKay virtually a winger due to him being so far out of his technical area, Danny Graham attacked down the right in the seventh minute and it was only a good save from Westwood using his left hand which stopped the ball squirming in at the near post.
Playing the ball on the deck, City got back into the game with Sammy Clingan finding players, Aron Gunnarsson and Martin Cranie getting in tackles, Richard Keogh being solid and the full backs pushing forward.
Then out of nothing, The Sky Blues fans were going mad when a 26TH minute pin-point pass from David Bell picked out GARY MCSHEFFREY. The Coventry born midfielder did not have a lot to aim at but a cracking finish sent the ball into the corner of the net and put the Sky Blues one goal up.
Loach had to push away another McSheffrey cross before Watford's attacks started to cause problems. Martin Taylor sent the second of two corners onto the roof of the net and the Hornets won two more corners before the break.
It was a half-time which saw myself presented by Tommy Hutchison with a shirt and the ovation from the City and to be fair a good number of Watford supporters was a moment I will always treasure.
In the changing rooms, changes were afoot and Watford came out for the second half making two changes.
Aron Gunnarsson crashed a header, helped on by Loach against the bar shortly after the restart before Watford broke and Danny Graham had his shot thankfully deflected for the first of two corners. The second of which saw Graham hit the post.
Jordan Clarke went down in the 53rd minute and was unable to carry on and had to be replaced by Nathan Cameron. This change saw Richard Keogh back in his normal role and Cameron in at centre half.
Watford were in the midst of a good spell. A superb 57th minute pass to Weimann saw him fire across the face of the goal before Graham who must have sensed today was not his day, missed from four yards and then fired over.
Something needed to be done to break up Watford's play and so Andy Thorn who had been busy barking out orders along with Steve Harrison decided to send on Lukas Jutkiewicz in place of Freddy Eastwood who had been pretty quiet.
By my watch, LUKAS JUTKIEWICZ was on the pitch for less than a minute when Clingan played a 65th minute short ball inside the centre circle to Aron Gunnarsson who picked out Jutkiewicz who had made a good run into the penalty area and he was able to hook the ball past Loach and it was 2-0 City.
Two minutes later and the City fans were on their feet again when Loach dropped the ball and Jutkiewicz bundled in. From the angle I saw it at, it looked like the ball was not under the full control of Loach and therefore fair game but after consulting his assistant on the Main Stand side, referee Mr Boyeson ruled out the goal.
Keiren Westwood made a good stop before Keogh was booked for time wasting and more changes followed with Michael McIndoe coming on for City.
Watford were now out of the game thanks to some good work from the Sky Blues. Hussey sent a lovely ball over to Jutkiewicz who fired over and as we reached the five minutes of added time, Sammy Clingan left the crossbar at the Jewson Stand end shaking when his piledriver hit the bar and bounced down. Whether, it was over the line, ala Geoff Hurst in 1966, I couldn't say but Jutkiewicz put the ball into the net anyway and then glared at the assistant referee who was clearly not a Russian, who ruled the goal out for offside.
City went straight back on the attack and Loached dropped the ball again. This time, Jutkiewicz sent the loose ball onto the bar and City had to be content with only a 2-0 victory, which was their first at home to Watford since 2005.
Today, we saw some very positive signs that City can play themselves out of the on the pitch mess they are in and if they can do this for the rest of the season then, our place in next season's Championship will be assured sooner rather than later.
For me, the day was not over. Being the club's Guest Of Honour for the day, something I was highly honoured and delighted to do, I did the Man Of The Match Presentation to Sammy Clingan before going into the G-Casino and appearing on the same stage as the Legends plus the new Chairman.
A chorus of the Sky Blue Song from the former players went up which was enthusiastically joined in by every City supporter in the bar and ended a perfect day and one that I will never forget.
Thanks to everyone involved with CCFPA and all at Coventry City FC for the day.
Pictures copyright of Covsupport News. Credit CNS/KM