In To The Bottom Three

Last updated : 19 March 2005 By Kev Monks
SUNDERLAND 1-0 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS

Not being able to stick the ball in the net,has pained the Sky Blues for many a season and by not putting away the few chances saw them lose 1-0 at Sunderland.

As with the FA Cup at Newcastle, some of the 900 City supporters made a weekend of the long trip to the well appointed Stadium Of Light.

Whilst the home of Sunderland may be an impressive stadium and one, the designers of the Arena at Folehill should have copied,the pitch was appalling and not helped by a pre-game soaking from the sprinklers.

Adams fielded a side with four changes from the one that had drawn at Millwall in midweek with Michael Doyle,Claus Jorgensen,Steve Staunton and Trevor Benjamin all coming back in.

Against a side that had beaten Plymouth 5-1 in midweek and one who could go to the top of the Championship table, City had the better in the first half.

They won two corners in the fourth minute and another, three minutes later,when Marcus Hall swung at the ball,sending it high and wide.

Robert Page looked comfortable at the back, even if he did give away possession a little too often and not too bad on the attack when he sent a left footed drive just wide in the ninth minute.

Benjamin headed a corner wide,six minutes later before Richard Duffy raced down the right before sending a poor shot wide.

Sunderland had continually been thwarted by some good defending from the Sky Blues defence and in the 28th minute, Marcus Stewart got through only for Ian Bennett to make a superb save with his feet.

Gary Breen had been included in Mick McCarthy's team and the former City defender who was taunted for the greed which led to his departure from Highfield
Road,nodded wide from a corner just before the break.

What City did not need was the half-time whistle as the Makems reshuffled their pack and started to pressurise the City defence.

Ten minutes in the second half, the former Millwall and Republic Of Ireland boss made a double substitution bringing on Chris Brown and Sean Thornton.

This lifted the home side and in the 62nd minute,they won a corner which was not cleared and fell for Stephen Wright to head against the foot of the post.

City were now riding their luck and four minutes later, Steve Staunton looked to be impeded as Stewart burst through and struck the far post with a shot that bounced around before Claus Jorgensen cleared the danger.

The Coventry supporters had been in fine voice but with fifteen minutes remaining, they were silenced when Chris Brown was allowed to turn and slot the ball past Bennett from twelve yards.

With the news that Forest had equalised against Wigan and Gillingham were holding Ipswich flying around, City were now in the bottom three for the first team this season.

I admit to feeling close to tears and very down as City plummeted to the lowest point in many of our City watching lifetimes.

Adebola,Barrett and Richard Shaw were all sent on. Three corners were won with the last being headed over by Stern John and typified a hard working performance that again did not bring any rewards.

HT SAFC 0-0 CCFC FT SAFC 1-0 CCFC

ATT 29,484

GOAL Chris Brown (75 mins)

BOOKED Arca,Osbourne,Stewart

MAN OF THE MATCH - Ian Bennett. If we don't sign him for the rest of the season, we've had it
TEAM
Bennett,Hall,Duffy (Shaw 83),Staunton,Page, Doyle,Osbourne,Jorgensen,McSheffrey (Adebola 76),John,Benjamin (Barrett 83) SNU Steele,Morrell.