YEOVIL TOWN 0-0 COVENTRY CITY
City: Jones, Martin, Willis, Webster, Johnson, O'Brien, Fleck, Finch, Jackson (Tudgay 72), Nouble, Madine. Subs: Burge, Miller, Barton, Swanson, Thomas, Haynes.
Yeovil: Steer, N.Smith, Edwards, Foley, Moore, Twumasi (Leitch-Smith 56), Lozar (Hayter 83, Ugwu, Arthurworrey, A.Smith (Ralph 66), Shepherd. Subs: Krysiak, Berrett, Hoskins.
HT YTFC 0-0 CCFC FT YTFC 0-0 CCFC ATT 4,422
Goals None
Referee A.Haines
--------------------------------
Gary Madine having a penalty saved meant that Coventry City only took a point from their trip to Yeovil Town.
After the defeat at Gillingham, a must win away game turned into a must-must win away game at Yeovil Town, who had picked up four points in their last two matches and were looking to drag City into the relegation zone.
It was a sunny but cold morning as the City support set off for Somerset on the furthest away game of the season. Many of the City support may have balked at this trek which was nothing compared to that of the referee who came from Sunderland.
The City support in the seats and on the open terrace saw under-fire Steven Pressley name a side which had a debut for Jones and recalls for Reda Johnson, Jack Finch and Jim O'Brien.
City in sky blue shirts, shorts and socks, attacked the end where the Yeovil fans were stood for the first half but had to defend three early free kicks on a sunny afternoon.
Simeon Jackson sent a 12th minute ball across the box, whilst at the other end, Yeovil fired wide.
Jackson sent in another cross as the City supporters asked of each other who they were.
Johnson put a 15th minute cross into the home terrace for a City side playing Madine in possibly his last game, up front or three with Jackson and Nouble on the right. Although, playing Nouble on the right and Jackson on the left was clearly of a case of square pegs in round holes as neither player really looked comfortable in their positions.
O'Brien tried to pick out Nouble but Steer cleared for a Yeovil team which had former City loanee Jamar Lozar up front.
City won a free kick in the 20th minute for a foul on O'Brien which led to a caution and Jordan Willis send the free kick from 25 yards over the bar.
Three minutes later, City had a free kick that produced a corner. It was easily dealt with by the home defence.
In the 33rd minute, Yeovil won a corner taken by Foley but there was a tame header and Jones in the City goal had something to do. Four minutes later he was taking a goal kick after Stephen Arthurworrey drove wide.
Jones caught a Shepherd cross and this set up an attack for Nouble but he was dispossessed and It was up to Webster and Johnson to make sure City saw out the half.
The first half was poor and highlighted why both sides are in the positions in a not very strong league that they are.
A 47th minute cross from Johnson brought a chorus of 'oohs' from the City fans in the seats as Moore headed over his own bar for a corner. That saw the ball back to Jones and then a free kick for offside.
Madine won City a corner in the 49th minute and Jackson's flag kick was easily cleared by Moore but two minutes later, City had a penalty when Johnson was fouled by Twumasi. Gary Madine took the kick and slipped as he struck it, making it easy for Steer to get down to his right to save before being congratulated by his team-mates.
Madine, whose future at Sheffield Wednesday is still to be decided, missed at the near post before the home fans tried to lift their team. Gary Johnson's side won a corner and another in the 57th minute after Leitch-Smith had come on.
Jones caught a dipping shot from Nathan Smith, as the Glovers looked the more threatening under the Huish Park floodlights which were long poles with two rows of lights on top and the sun over the main stand which did cause some viewing problems for the City support in the seats.
A shot across the goal gave Yeovil a 63rd minute corner but this time Jones came out and dealt with it. The Glovers wasted a good chance in the 66th minute and had they a decent striker, City could have been in real trouble.
A 70th minute shove on Jackson was spotted by the City support but not the referee and it had been evident for most of the half that things needed changing for the Sky Blues.
Pressley’s plan B,C or whatever, was to send on Marcus Tudgay instead of Jackson, who had been no worse than anyone else.
Tudgay offered little in the way of getting a much needed goal and his body language matched the rest of his team mates in that they were now happy to take a point from the game.
With fifteen minutes left, O'Brien had a free kick headed away and Fleck fired just over from range.
Madine was the next to miss, after getting to a Tudgay ball and he followed that by heading wide from a 78th minute O'Brien cross.
O'Brien on the right was putting in cross and one led to a 79th minute corner which the midfielder who became a father a week ago took.
The captain then took an 81st minute corner that Steer had to grab off Tudgay's feet but the ball was back up the other end and with four minutes left, the Yeovil fans were calling for a penalty but nothing was done.
Yeovil had two last chances but did not get a shot at Jones who did not have to make a proper save all afternoon and two poor teams took a point from this drab affair.