INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE 3-1 COVENTRY CITY
SAT JULY 21 At Tulloch, Inverness
City: Murphy, Clarke, Hussey (Roberts 46), Edjenguele, Kilbane, Malaga, Thomas, Baker, McSheffrey, Fleck, Jeffers (O'Donovan 70). Subs Burge, Wood, Henderson.
Inverness: 1 Ryan Esson, 2 David Raven (19 Gavin Morrison 60), 3 Graham Shinnie, 32 Matt Cooper, 18 Shane Sutherland (11 Nick Ross 75), 17 Aaron Doran (22 Conor Peppar 93), 14 Josh Meekings, 10 Andrew Shinnie (21 Liam Polworth 84), 9 Richie Foran, 8 Ross Draper, 7 Billy McKay (16 Jason Oswell 75). Subs 12 Antonio Reguero (GK), 20 Martin Laing, 22 Conor Peppar
HT ICTFC 1-0 CCFC FT ICTFC 2-1 CCFC ATT EST 700 .
Referee Ian Brines Assts Gary Cheyne, Gordon Middleton
Goals Richie Foran 19 pen, Billy McKay 49, Shaun Jeffers 53: Jason Oswell 93
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CITY SUPPORT:
Only about thirty City supporters were in Inverness were present.
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CITY TEAM NEWS:
Andy Thorn made three changes with William Edjenguele, Joe Murphy and Shaun Jeffers all starting.
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WEATHER
Warmish but cloudy day, the second best for weather on the last day of this tour.
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Coventry City missed a penalty and suffered a defeat at Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
With Callum Ball and Reece Brown signed, the Sky Blues made their way from their base in Aviemore up to the Tulloch Stadium on the outskirts of Inverness to take on a Scottish Premier League side managed by former City player and Manager Terry Butcher.
The Tulloch Stadium is a three sided stadium, on the banks of the River Ness, and only the main stand was open for the final game of City's three game tour of Scotland.
The Sky Blues started with Joe Murphy having his first outing of the season and les Bleu brothers Malaga and Edjenguele in the centre of defence and in the third minute, Gary McSheffrey attacked and went to ground. Referee Ian Birnie awarded a third minute penalty and John Fleck thumped it against Ryan Esson's left hand post.
Kevin Kilbane started in the centre of midfield with Conor Thomas, who for me, battled very well yet again, supported by Baker and McSheffrey whilst Shaun Jeffers ploughed a lone furrow up front.
City had a corner and a Baker free kick cleared by the home defence before another free kick in the 13th minute was awarded after Jeffers was upended. The ball came out to Jordan Clarke and his twenty yarder was not far wide of the far post.
Then came two corners to City before a great ball from Fleck picked out McSheffrey on the right and he drove low at the keeper.
In the 18th minute, Inverness were awarded a penalty when they cleared from a corner and Joe Murphy impeded Billy McKay. Richie Foran stepped up to score from the resulting spot-kick.
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Inverness got their first corner of the game in 25th minute and it was only a good tackle from Edjenguele that prevented Andrew Shinnie from getting in a shot and sending the ball out of the ground much to the amusement of the crowd.
A McSheffrey cross just before the half hour mark was pushed away and seconds later, a teasing Baker cross from the right was just missed by Shaun Jeffers.
Inverness, who relied heavily on the counter-attack, did just that and Chris Hussey, a yard off the goal-line, got back to clear a Ross Draper effort away.
As the half wore on, Butcher's side started to get more of the possession and it was City who countered in the 39th minute with a Hussey cross from the left winning a corner.
Kevin Malaga made one good clearance three minutes before the break to concede a corner and the home side won another before the half ended.
Will Roberts replaced Chris Hussey at the break but four minutes into the second half, an Andrew Shinnie shot from twenty yards saw Joe Murphy get down but he could not hold it and Billy McKay tapped the loose ball into the net.
City replied immediately with a good move which saw the ball go to McSheffrey who chipped over for Shaun Jeffers to stroke the ball into the bottom corner of the net from six yards. Jeffers, who was not that well supplied, worked hard and deserved his third goal of pre-season.
Play was then suspended as David Raven was stretchered off with a leg injury. After treatment, the medics got him onto a stretcher and he went off down the tunnel to good applause.
Jeffers was replaced with twenty minutes to go by Roy O'Donovan and Butcher made a double change five minutes later.
Joe Murphy got down to push away a 77th minute Doran shot for a corner and five minutes later, Esson pushed away a Fleck pile drive and Mr Edjenguele headed wide but in the second minute of stoppage time, a cross went over to Jamie Oswell who beat Murphy to give City a 3-1 defeat.