MK DONS 0-0 COVENTRY CITY
City: Allsop, Willis, Webster, Johnson, Clarke, Haynes, Fleck, McQuoid (Miller 62), Swanson (Thomas 46), O'Brien, Tudgay (Jackson 71),, Subs Burge, Coulibaly, Philllips, Finch.
MK Dons: McLaughlin, Baldock, Lewington, Kay, McFazdean, Ali, Powell, Potter, Reeves (Hitchcock 79), Bowditch (Carruthers 60), Grigg (Afobe 68). Subs: Burns, Flanagan, Spence, Randall.
HT MKD 0-0 CCFC FT MKD 0-0 CCFC ATT 10,600 Goals none
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Coventry City failed to bring their game to the party and took a 0-0 draw from their trip to MK Dons.
The Sky Blues annual invasion of Milton Keynes came early this season but there was still decent numbers who were out early on the roads or at train stations on a sunny Saturday morning.
Today, things were very different and the mood was one of celebration following the news on Thursday that Coventry City were no longer being held hostage in Northampton and that they will be back playing football in Coventry next month.
Ok, there was a few for whom the club had rained on their parade by the announcement of the season ticket prices with supporters concerned how they would find the cash in a short space of time but the overall collective feeling was one of relief and delight that one person's weak point had led, amongst a number of other effects including supporter power, to City coming home.
It might not have had the numbers of previous seasons but the support of around 3.600 to see an unchanged City team take the field, was excellent and made the home support dotted around three stands look pretty embarrassing.
MK Dons had the first chance in the opening seconds with Allsop saving a Reeves free kick. There was one effort on goal from the Sky Blues, playing in yellow, followed by a Dons corner and a Bowditch shot as City took their time to get into the match.
Marcus Tudgay was forced to change his shirt but it took it an age for Mr Sheldrake to allow him back on to the field of play much to the disgust of the City support.
Bowditch fired wide in the 22nd minute and then was played in three minutes later, by a City midfield defence who were not putting in the tackles. Thankfully, Allsop and Johnson were able to clear.
Just before the half hour mark, the Dons were allowed through again but Allsop was there following a good tackle by Jim O'Brien.
Two minutes later and Allsop was catching a ball a shot followed by another effort on goal by Bowditch.
Allsop grabbed a free kick and then punched away a 38th minute corner which led to a booking for Bowditch.
A minute before the break, City had a free kick from O'Brien go straight into the arms of McLaughlin and a Jordan Clarke header go wide but City had seen out the first half without conceding a goal.
One can only imagine what was said at half time in the City dressing but Pressley again in his red hoodie, sent on Conor Thomas and saw his side straight on the attack, winning a corner through Jordan Clarke, who fired wide following the flag kick.
Three minutes in and Thomas fired wide from twenty plus yards. As the home fans sprang to life, the Dons won a corner and had a shot go wide.
Jordan Clarke did have a 57th minute header saved from a Fleck cross but the flag was already up.
Reeves forced Allsop to parry and as the game was getting stale, both managers went for a change. Afobe came on for Karl Robinson's side and for the last nineteen minutes, Simoneon Jackson came on on for Marcus Tudgay, who had little service all afternoon.
Reeves went close, nodding over a 78th minute header and Jackson had a late chance as the City support started to head for the exits following a performance which was clearly not good in a number of areas.