SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 3-2 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
It does not matter who the manager is but if City play a side bottom of the division and in trouble,then invariably the strugglers triumph. This game was no exception as City went down to a 3-2 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.
For this game at Hillsborough which despite the 1989 disaster has always been one of my favourite stadiums,Micky Adams was again not able to field his strongest side with the influential Dele Adebola and Robert Page both out injured.
Playing in black shirts with sky blue shorts and socks,the Sky Blues had the first chance through Richard Duffy who fired over from twenty five yards in the fourth minute.
Five minutes later,Stephen Bywater dived to his left to push a Chris Brunt effort round the post for a corner.
By the 15th minute,Wednesday,who had former Sky Blue Richie Partridge on the bench, had mustered three corners.
It does not matter who the manager is but if City play a side bottom of the division and in trouble,then invariably the strugglers triumph. This game was no exception as City went down to a 3-2 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.
For this game at Hillsborough which despite the 1989 disaster has always been one of my favourite stadiums,Micky Adams was again not able to field his strongest side with the influential Dele Adebola and Robert Page both out injured.
Playing in black shirts with sky blue shorts and socks,the Sky Blues had the first chance through Richard Duffy who fired over from twenty five yards in the fourth minute.
Five minutes later,Stephen Bywater dived to his left to push a Chris Brunt effort round the post for a corner.
By the 15th minute,Wednesday,who had former Sky Blue Richie Partridge on the bench, had mustered three corners.
Unfortunately for the Sky Blues,there was no marking for the third one and Graham Coughlan rose unmarked three yards out to nod the ball into the net and give the side bottom of the division the lead.
The noise from an excellent turn out of City supporters continued as a 20th minute City corner came to nothing and seven minutes,a lovely run by Gary McSheffrey produced the first of two corners that also came to nothing.
On the half hour mark,another fine save from Bywater gave the home side a corner.The danger was cleared upfield for Gary McSheffrey. The striker who was playing up front on his own, got into the penalty area only for David Lucas to come tearing out and bring McSheffrey down. McSheffrey got to his feet and confidently scored from the resulting spot.
Michael Doyle was cautioned but it was all City. McSheffrey won a corner,the industrious Stephen Hughes went wide.
But football has a habit of kicking you in the teeth and in the 43rd minute,Wednesday regained the lead. Chris Brunt was thirty five yards out and he hit a fierce drive which deflected the ball into the net.
With the game in stoppage time,City had a corner which was cleared. A lovely move played in Craig Roecastle whose eight yard drive was superbly saved by Bywater.
The second half started with a booking for Wilo Flood,a last gasp save from Bywater before McSheffrey broke through only to steer the ball wide with only Lucas to beat. In the 52nd minute,another McSheffrey effort was easily saved by Lucas.
At times,some of the City players showed they were not strong enough and were easily being brushed off the ball by a not particularly good Wednesday defence.
On the hour mark,Adams made his first change bringing on Claus Jorgensen for Wilo Flood who will be in international action this week with the Republic Of Ireland U21's.
The yellow shirted referee Mr Mason was infuriating the City support as twice he missed shoves on Gary McSheffrey before he finally had the name of a Wednesday player in the book when he cautioned Eagles in the 64th minute.
Andy Whing and Matt Heath looked solid at the back and in the 73rd minute,City were level.
The Sky Blues won a corner,Stephen Hughes sent over a lovely cross and Andy Morrell nodded in from four yards.
Back came Wednesday and they won a penalty four minutes later. In front of the Kop end,Chris Brunt gave Wednesday the lead for the third time in the game.
In the last minute,Stephen Bywater came up for a corner which was cleared off the line but it was not to be and the Sky Blues continue to search for their first away league victory of the season.
The noise from an excellent turn out of City supporters continued as a 20th minute City corner came to nothing and seven minutes,a lovely run by Gary McSheffrey produced the first of two corners that also came to nothing.
On the half hour mark,another fine save from Bywater gave the home side a corner.The danger was cleared upfield for Gary McSheffrey. The striker who was playing up front on his own, got into the penalty area only for David Lucas to come tearing out and bring McSheffrey down. McSheffrey got to his feet and confidently scored from the resulting spot.
Michael Doyle was cautioned but it was all City. McSheffrey won a corner,the industrious Stephen Hughes went wide.
But football has a habit of kicking you in the teeth and in the 43rd minute,Wednesday regained the lead. Chris Brunt was thirty five yards out and he hit a fierce drive which deflected the ball into the net.
With the game in stoppage time,City had a corner which was cleared. A lovely move played in Craig Roecastle whose eight yard drive was superbly saved by Bywater.
The second half started with a booking for Wilo Flood,a last gasp save from Bywater before McSheffrey broke through only to steer the ball wide with only Lucas to beat. In the 52nd minute,another McSheffrey effort was easily saved by Lucas.
At times,some of the City players showed they were not strong enough and were easily being brushed off the ball by a not particularly good Wednesday defence.
On the hour mark,Adams made his first change bringing on Claus Jorgensen for Wilo Flood who will be in international action this week with the Republic Of Ireland U21's.
The yellow shirted referee Mr Mason was infuriating the City support as twice he missed shoves on Gary McSheffrey before he finally had the name of a Wednesday player in the book when he cautioned Eagles in the 64th minute.
Andy Whing and Matt Heath looked solid at the back and in the 73rd minute,City were level.
The Sky Blues won a corner,Stephen Hughes sent over a lovely cross and Andy Morrell nodded in from four yards.
Back came Wednesday and they won a penalty four minutes later. In front of the Kop end,Chris Brunt gave Wednesday the lead for the third time in the game.
In the last minute,Stephen Bywater came up for a corner which was cleared off the line but it was not to be and the Sky Blues continue to search for their first away league victory of the season.
HT SWFC 2-1 CCFC
FT SWFC 3-2 CCFC
ATT 22,732
Goals Graham Coughlan (15),Gary McSheffrey (31),Chris Brunt (42),Andy Morrell (73),Chris Brunt (77)
Booked
Michael Doyle (33),Wilo Flood (47),Chris Eagles (64),Andy Whing (77)
Team
Bywater,Whing,Hall,Hughes,Duffy,Doyle,McSheffrey,Scowcroft,Morrell,Heath,Flood (Jorgensen 59) Subs Ince,Osbourne,Impey
Wednesday
Lucas,Lee,Coughlan,Whelan,Peacock,Brunt,Hills,Eagles (O'Brien 77),Simek,Roecastle,Graham (Bullen 86) Subs Wood,Partridge,Corr