COVENTRY CITY 1-1 PLYMOUTH ARGYLE BY KEV MONKS
Date 13/03/10 At The Ricoh Arena Championship
Coventry
Westwood, Wright (Hall 46), Cranie, Wood, McPake, McIndoe, Clingan, Gunnarsson (Deegan 46), Baker, Stead, Morrison (Eastwood 89). SNU Konstantopolous, Bell, Sears, Grandison
Plymouth
Stockdale, Duiguid, Fletcher, Clarke, Johnson, Arnason, Barker, Eckersley (Sawyer 56), Wright-Phillips (Mason 73), Bolasie. Mackie SNU Larrieu, Fallon, Summerfield, Judge, Cooper
HT CCFC 0-1 PAFC FT CCFC 1-1 PAFC ATT 18,127
Goals Kari Arnason (45+1), Michael McIndoe (48)
Referee A.Haines
Booked Duiguid, Bolasie
Man Of The Match Clinton Morrison took the votes with nominations for McPake and Clingan.
_____________________
Coventry City’s March to the Arch, is still on despite the Sky Blues drawing 1-1 with Plymouth Argyle at the Ricoh Arena.
The Sky Blues went into the game with expectation levels raised after moving up to eighth in the Championship table and there was a bigger than normal gate with fans, who don’t normally go, wanting to see what all the fuss was about.
According to the official attendance, there was 18,127 (of which 734 were Plymouth fans) in the ground on a cold afternoon which included City supporters from as far away as Ireland, South Wales, Kent, Nottinghamshire, London, but with the amount of kids in the CT Stand, some of whom were rather annoyingly kicking the backs of the seats and others in the Tescos Stand, it looked and felt more than the announced figure.
Those present saw Chris Coleman name a side, which saw the return of fit again Richard Wood at centre half and Martin Cranie reverting to left back.
The City players looked nervous. Whether the pre-game hype had got to them, I don’t know but after the first five or so minutes where a Sammy Clingan shot was blocked and two corners were won, City did not show the same sort of fluidity that they had done against Scunthorpe and Peterborough.
Coventry were given a big let off in the 14th minute when Bradley Wright Phillips played in James Mackie who skipped his way into the penalty area at the CT Stand end. Thankfully, the former Wimbledon player only hit the weakest of shots and Keiren Westwood was able to gather.
The game ebbed and flowed with Westwood making a good save to concede a 19th minute corner before Michael McIndoe carved out some space to deliver a lovely ball which Jon Stead, who was well marked by Chris Barker early on.
Against a Plymouth side who were greatly improved since we played them at Home Park in December, City struggled to gain any real advantage. Clinton Morrison worked really hard up front, holding the ball up well with his back to a defender, whilst Sammy Clingan had to do most of the work in midfield as the threat of Baker and McIndoe was mainly snubbed out.
Then a minute into stoppage time, Plymouth had the second of two reasonably quick free kicks both conceded by Stephen Wright. When the kick came over. Kari Arnason rose and Keiren Westwood came out. Unfortunately, it was nothing more than a mist-timed flap from the Republic Of Ireland international and the ball went into the net.
Some booed the team off while we mused at half-time that City had to come out fighting for the second half and Chris Coleman opted for a double change. Stephen Wright, who could have been sent off by another referee for his fouls, was replaced by Marcus Hall and Aron Gunnarsson who today, was not having the best of games, was replaced by Gary Deegan.
Within four minutes of the restart, City, who had moved Martin Crainie to right back, were level. Jon Stead got the ball and fed Carl Baker on the right. The winger sent a cross deep into the CT Stand penalty area and there was Michael McIndoe who nipped in between the keeper and defender to score his first ever goal for the Sky Blues.
After duly celebrating, the City support was lifted but as so often this season, Coventry City found problems in getting a second goal.
Jon Stead showed a sublime bit of skill to get in a shot on the turn in the 55th minute before Plymouth hit the woodwork from a corner eleven minutes later.
Despite the attentions of Chris Barker who seemed very interested in getting hold of Stead’s shirt, the loanee from Ipswich, had the City support on their feet in the 72nd minute when he fired agonisingly across the face of the goal.
Now, would have been the time to throw on Freddy Eastwood to see if he could get a winner, but Coleman and Harrison waited until a minute from the end of normal time before the Basildon Boy appeared in place of Clinton Morrison who received a good ovation.
Plymouth threw caution to the wind for the final few minutes and it nearly paid off when a corner saw City hack a shot from Bolaise away and then clear a Johnson shot, which looked like it hit Westwood’s left hand post from my viewing position.
City went up the other end and Michael McIndoe cut in from the right and picked out Eastwood with his cross. David Stockdale superbly pushed it over the bar for a corner.
“Come On City” was the cry from the Sky Blue Army but Marcus Hall fired over and City had to take a point from the game which keeps them in eighth place.