LEEDS UNITED 3-0 COVENTRY CITY By Kev Monks
Coventry City's miserable run of form (two wins in 36 matches) at Elland Road continued with a 3-0 defeat.
Wearing my New York Mets top as support for those in the American city who suffered in the terrorist attacks three years to the day,the traffic on the M1 was a nightmare thanks to two accidents.
Coventry City's miserable run of form (two wins in 36 matches) at Elland Road continued with a 3-0 defeat.
Wearing my New York Mets top as support for those in the American city who suffered in the terrorist attacks three years to the day,the traffic on the M1 was a nightmare thanks to two accidents.
However,we were able to weave our way through and made it to the Yorkshire City in time for a pint, which would have been two had there been more bar staff in the Peacock pub.
City travelled having won their last three games but having sold Calum Davenport to Spurs who then loaned him to West Ham,changes had to be made and new loan signing Dean Leacock slotted into the back four.
For Peter Reid who is in the running for the Blackburn Rover job,this was a return to his former club. His name was announced and received a tiny bit of applause from the home support.
Backed by 1700 noisy supporters,the Coventry fans in the corner of the East Stand, City failed to show the spirit that had seen them beat Nottingham Forest and West Ham.
In the eighth minute, Danny Pugh sent a header just wide and seconds later, Pugh crossed for former City striker Julian Joachim to head over the bar.
Joachim whose alleged injuries during his time at Highfield Road were legendary was met by chants of "One Greedy Ba****d and others not suitable to be printed here,at every opportunity.
His header gave the home side a corner which was half cleared to Frazer Richardson who blasted over.
In the 12th minute,City were awarded a throw in. As the players awaited Staunton's throw,Pugh came across and elbowed Louis Carey who fell to the ground. Referee Paul Robinson from East Yorkshire spotted the offence and put Pugh's name in the book.
Steve Staunton was having a torrid time at left back and in the 18th minute,Leeds broke down the right,the ball was played inside to Leicester reject Brian Deane who tried to shoot and Shearer moved across to catch.
The Scottish keeper sent a long ball up the field and Eddy Johnson's header was saved by Neil Sullivan.
Leeds attacked again in the 23rd minute,they switched the play and Pugh on the left won a corner. Jermaine Wright took the kick,Shearer flapped at it and Andy Morrell hacked the ball clear.
Morrell was working hard up front and he tore up the right and delivered a ball which Neil Sullivan beat the incoming Johnson to.
In the 29th minute,Morrell twice was denied by saves from the Leeds keeper before the home side cleared the danger.
Two minutes,City nearly took the lead when a stunning shot from Michael Doyle from 25 yards crashed against the crossbar. The ball came to Carey who found Morrell but his shot was blocked.
In the 34th minute,Stephen Hughes created space and hit a twenty yard shot which curled wide.
Leeds started come back into the game and in the 38th minute,Louis Carey took Brian Deane down from behind and was booked. It gave Leeds a free kick,the ball was swung in by Wright and half cleared to Joachim on the right. Scott Shearer stood rooted to his spot as the ball went over him for CLARK CARLISLE to head in at the far post.
It was a bad blow, and two minutes later only Joachim completely missing the ball with only Shearer to beat,stopped Leeds going further ahead before the break.
City travelled having won their last three games but having sold Calum Davenport to Spurs who then loaned him to West Ham,changes had to be made and new loan signing Dean Leacock slotted into the back four.
For Peter Reid who is in the running for the Blackburn Rover job,this was a return to his former club. His name was announced and received a tiny bit of applause from the home support.
Backed by 1700 noisy supporters,the Coventry fans in the corner of the East Stand, City failed to show the spirit that had seen them beat Nottingham Forest and West Ham.
In the eighth minute, Danny Pugh sent a header just wide and seconds later, Pugh crossed for former City striker Julian Joachim to head over the bar.
Joachim whose alleged injuries during his time at Highfield Road were legendary was met by chants of "One Greedy Ba****d and others not suitable to be printed here,at every opportunity.
His header gave the home side a corner which was half cleared to Frazer Richardson who blasted over.
In the 12th minute,City were awarded a throw in. As the players awaited Staunton's throw,Pugh came across and elbowed Louis Carey who fell to the ground. Referee Paul Robinson from East Yorkshire spotted the offence and put Pugh's name in the book.
Steve Staunton was having a torrid time at left back and in the 18th minute,Leeds broke down the right,the ball was played inside to Leicester reject Brian Deane who tried to shoot and Shearer moved across to catch.
The Scottish keeper sent a long ball up the field and Eddy Johnson's header was saved by Neil Sullivan.
Leeds attacked again in the 23rd minute,they switched the play and Pugh on the left won a corner. Jermaine Wright took the kick,Shearer flapped at it and Andy Morrell hacked the ball clear.
Morrell was working hard up front and he tore up the right and delivered a ball which Neil Sullivan beat the incoming Johnson to.
In the 29th minute,Morrell twice was denied by saves from the Leeds keeper before the home side cleared the danger.
Two minutes,City nearly took the lead when a stunning shot from Michael Doyle from 25 yards crashed against the crossbar. The ball came to Carey who found Morrell but his shot was blocked.
In the 34th minute,Stephen Hughes created space and hit a twenty yard shot which curled wide.
Leeds started come back into the game and in the 38th minute,Louis Carey took Brian Deane down from behind and was booked. It gave Leeds a free kick,the ball was swung in by Wright and half cleared to Joachim on the right. Scott Shearer stood rooted to his spot as the ball went over him for CLARK CARLISLE to head in at the far post.
It was a bad blow, and two minutes later only Joachim completely missing the ball with only Shearer to beat,stopped Leeds going further ahead before the break.
Patrick Suffo started the second half in place of Eddy Johnson who had picked up a knock in the opening period.
Two minutes in and Joachim took on Staunton again and sent the ball across the face of the goal. City broke up the other end and a foul on Suffo gave City a free kick some 25 yards out. Tim Sherwood took the place kick and knocked it to Carey who rifled in a shot which Sullivan saved.
Neil Wood was having one of his better games since moving to Highfield Road from Manchester United and good work from him won a corner a minute later.
With Leacock doing well at the back,City pressed forward through Michael Doyle. His 51st minute was played out to Steve Staunton. The Irishman delivered a cross which Gary Kelly who counts Noel Whelan amongst his drinking buddies half cleared. The loose ball fell for Patrick Suffo who leant back and blasted over when letting the ball drop and hitting it low into the net would have been the easier thing.
A corner apiece was followed as a lovely move from the Sky Blues culminating in Suffo heading wide a Wood cross.
After another Leeds corner,a Staunton cross was met by Morrell at the far post and Carlisle headed away for a corner.
The Leeds supporters in the end to our left which is normally reserved for away supporters had been giving it the biggie throughout the game with one individual clearly intent on breaking as many ground regulations as possible and in the 70th minute,he made a number of threatening and offensive gestures as he lurched towards the City supporters following Julian Joachim putting Leeds further ahead.
Whilst,we were bemoaning the fact that Scott Shearer should have held onto or pushed further away, Wright's header from a Pugh cross which led to JULIAN JOACHIM tapping into an empty net, complaints were made to the stewards about this behaviour.
As we were being told by a steward that missiles were being thrown by the City supporters, something nobody that I spoke to witnessed, Louis Carey was seeing red after being left sent off for a second bookable offence.
Leeds had broke down the left in the 71st minute and Carey was left with no other option other than to take down the attacker and stop the move which I believe would have led to a certain goal.
To be honest,things were getting very heated and had the same happened with a number of different club's followers,there would have been a major problem for the Leeds stewards. More protests followed and to huge applause the individual who had been warned about six times was removed from the stadium.
Back on the pitch, Reid went for a double change with Andy Whing coming on for Neil Wood and Graham Barrett replacing the hapless Staunton.
Whing's name continued to be chanted as Leeds boss Kevin Blackwell replaced firstly Brian Deane and in the last minute Julian Joachim who was taunted as he left the pitch by the City fans disgruntled that the team had come away with nothing against a side who did not look like title contenders.
In the second minute of time added,the misery was compounded further when Jermaine Wright's shot was parried by Shearer right into the path of the incoming DANNY PUGH who tapped home from two yards.
HT LUFC 1-0 CCFC FT LUFC 3-0 CCFC
ATT 26,725
Goals - Clarke Carlisle (39)
Julian Joachim (70)
Danny Pugh (92)
Booked Danny Pugh (12), Louis Carey (38 &71)
Man Of The Match - Dean Leacock won the share of the votes
Mare Of The Match - Scott Shearer and Steve Staunton
Team
Shearer,Carey (Sent off 71),Staunton (Barrett 80),Leacock,Shaw,Hughes, Doyle,Sherwood, Wood (Whing 80),Johnson (Suffo 46),Morrell SNU Steele,Gudjonsson