COVENTRY CITY 0-3  NORWICH CITY

SAT JULY 31 AT The Ricoh Arena, Coventry

TEAM: Murphy, Keogh, Hussey, Cranie, Christie (Wood 70), Clingan, Baker (Thomas 54), McSheffrey, Bigirimana, McSheffrey, Eastwood (O’Donovan 47), Jutkiewicz (Wilson 65) SNU Dunn, McPake, Cameron, Jeffers  

Norwich: Ruddy, R.Martin (Naughton 62), Whitbread (Drury 52), Smith (Bennett 64), Tierney (Francomb 62), De Laet (Barnett 62), Lappin (Surman 64), C.Martin (Hoolaham 59), Crofts (Johnson 47), Holt (Morison 59),Wilbraham (Jackson 59), Subs Rudd, Fox, Adeyemi 

HT CCFC 0-1 NCFC  FT CCFC 0-3 NCFC  ATT 3,500 est

REFEREE P.Gibbs  Assistants J.Brooks, G. Stretton  

GOALS Arron Wilbraham (2), Steve Morison (67), Elliott Bennett (87)

REPORT BY KEV MONKS 

A City supporter sat next to me, with over fifty years experience of watching Coventry City said to me prior to kick off that on paper, Norwich City should be too strong for the Sky Blues and so it proved as Norwich had an easy 3-0 victory at the Ricoh Arena this afternoon.

 Andy Thorn went for the ‘sink or swim option’ with youngsters Gael Bigirimana and local lad Cyrus Christie starting a first team match at a Ricoh Arena bathed in sunshine for the first time and was able to recall fit again Martin Cranie and Carl Baker. 

Norwich, who have been thrashing teams in Germany but lost to Southend United on Thursday night, fielded their strongest possible squad which saw former Sky Blue Leon Barnett starting on the bench and replacing Elliott Ward who has a knee injury. 

City kicked off but within a hundred seconds, were kicking off again after Norwich had taken the lead. Grant Holt went down in the area for what looked a clear penalty but referee Mr Gibbs allowed play to continue and as the City defence stood watching, ARRON WILBRAHAM was able to sweep the ball past Joe Murphy.

There was a delayed reaction from the 150 or so that had travelled from East Anglia in the away section of the Jewson Stand before they realised that the Canaries had scored at the empty CT Stand end.

Clingan and Bigirimana played some neat balls whilst Hussey and Christie provided some good crosses in a loose 4-3-3 formation but as to actual threats on goal, Ruddy in the Norwich goal had a relatively easy time of it. 

It was not until the players had taken on much needed liquid refreshment on, that City’s first meaningful chance came when a twenty yarder from Sammy Clingan was deflected for a corner.

In the 39^th minute, Clingan saw his free kick flapped away by Ruddy who was grateful to his defence for bundling the ball away under pressure from Jutkiewicz and McSheffrey. 

We had played just over a minute when Freddy Eastwood who had been exceedingly quiet, ran down towards the CT Stand before pulling up with what on  looked like a hamstring injury. 

Thorn sent on Roy O’Donovan before the changes to the starting line-ups really started to happen. Thorn sent on Conor Thomas, Callum, Wilson and Richard Wood whilst Paul Lambert went on to change everyone bar the keeper including bringing on Leon Barnett and their £3m signing from Millwall Steve Morison. 

In the 67^th minute, STEVE MORISON put Norwich further ahead when the Welsh international was left unmarked to head home from four yards out. 

Ten minutes later, the City supporters in a crowd of around 3,500 (as per usual at home pre-season matches, the attendance was not announced), were on their feet when Ruddy pushed away a Clingan shot and Roy O’Donovan bundled the ball into the net. Unfortunately, the assistant referee on the Tescos Stand side where the Coventry support was housed, had his flag up and the goal did not stand.

A free kick lead to O’Donovan firing wide and Hussey drilled across the box but Norwich weren’t finished and with four minutes remaining, ELLIOTT BENNETT was given space, some twenty odd yards out to let rip with a screamer, which flew into the net past the helpless Murphy.

Morison then hit Murphy’s right hand post and somehow missed from the rebound as Norwich wrapped up a very comfortable win and left the City support feeling that this is going to be a long hard season unless players are brought in to strengthen the squad.