Reserves Beaten at Charlton

Last updated : 15 March 2005 By Kev Monks
CHARLTON ATHLETIC RESERVES 1-0 COVENTRY CITY RESERVES BY KEV MONKS
A single goal was enough to condemn Coventry City Reserves to a defeat at league leaders Charlton Athletic.

With the first team playing at Millwall tonight, Steve Ogrizovic and Brian Borrows fielded a young side which saw Craig Pead as the only player to have first team experience.
Also were included were trialists from Arsenal Luke Webb and Aaron Samuel but Mark Howard who trialed with City in their 3-2 win over Arsenal was not named.

On a cold night at Welling United, Glyn Snoddin who also named a young Charlton side had the early attacks with Alex Varney and Alistair John both heading wide.

In the tenth minute,Charlton pushed forward and Stuart Wall was left with no choice but to clear the ball over his own crossbar with a shot that went out of the ground and narrowly missed a passing bus.

Craig Reid had started the game despite suffering from a fever and flu symptoms and in the 15th minute,the Coventry born striker dived in to meet a corner,only for Addicks keeper Stephen Anderson to grab the ball at the last second.

Three minutes later, a cross from Kevin Lisbie was headed on the cross bar by Stacey Long.

Boosted by this let-off, the Sky Blues got back into the game thanks to the endeavours of Andy Hall and Anthony Barry.

Reid stabbed a corner wide in the 28th minute,with drives from Thornton and Nicell also missing the target.

Jonny Tuffey in the City goal had not been tested but in the 33rd minute,the Northern Irish U19 international made a superb reaction save to push a Weston shot around the post for a corner.

Four minutes later, the South East Londoners went even closer when Barry Fuller broke through,hit the crossbar and recovered to get his head to the rebound. Thankfully,Andy Hall was on the line and headed the danger away.

Hall saved City again four minutes later when he cleared a Lisbie effort after Tuffey had initially saved off the line for a corner.

However,he could only watch as Kevin Lisbie was first to the flag kick and flicked a near post header into the net.

Craig Reid was not well enough to start the second half and Vijay Sidhu who scored for the Academy against Milton
Keynes Dons on Saturday replaced him.
Eight minutes in and Steve Ogrizovic had to make his second change of the game when Sean Cooney limped off to be replaced by Rikki Bains.
Although chances in the second period were something of a rarity, Anderson did make a fine 48th minute save from an Anthony Barry.

Samuel twice headed wide before Charlton had the ball in the net in the net with nine minutes left when Alex Varney raised through to beat Tuffey with a well hit shot. However much to the annoyance of the vast majority of the 300 strong crowd, the goal was ruled out for offside.

Tuffey who had a good game, got his revenge on Varney three minutes later when he made a fine save from a close range header.

In the last minute,Coventry put together their best move of the game when Man Of the Match Andy Hall and Craig Pead combined for Luke Webb who looked the better of the two trialists, hitting a fifteen yard shot that Anderson dived to save.

HT CAFC 1-0 CCFC FT CAFC 1-0 CCFC
ATT 300
GOAL Kevin Lisbie (42)
Man Of The Match = Andy Hall with good mentions for Jonny Tuffey and Anthony Barry.
TEAM
Tuffey,Hall,Nicell,Webb,Cooney (Bains 53),Wall,Barry,Pead,Reid (Sidhu 46),Samuel,Thornton SNU Belford,Lynch,
Ogarro
CHARLTON
Anderson,Cottrell,Gross,Fuller,Wilson,Ricketts, John,Long, Varney,Lisbie.Weston (Ashton 78)
SNU Randolph,Walker,Phillips,Carvill