Reserves Lose Final League Game

Last updated : 14 May 2005 By Kev Monks
SOUTHAMPTON RESERVES 3-1 COVENTRY CITY RESERVES BY KEV MONKS

                                      


                                      

Coventry City ended their FA Premier Reserve League South campaign with a 3-1 defeat at Southampton.

For this twice postponed game which was played at Southampton's impressive training complex at Staplewood at the rather early time of 11am,Darren Robinson,assisted by Dan Harris gave Scott Shearer a run-out in goal along with Liam Nicell and Andy Hall who were officially released this week.

Southampton,fielding most of the team that had reached the FA Youth Cup,were straight at City with Shearer having to save from Andrew Surman inside the first minute.

Seventeen minutes later. Surman joined Kevin Thornton in the book of referee Mr S.Tomlinson after both were guilty of late tackles thanks to the slippery conditions caused by pouring rain.

In the 20th minute, City's first chance of the game came when Azariah Ogarro slipped the ball inside for Liam Nicell to power a shot which Saints keeper Michael Poke pushed into the air.

The home side were a threat down the left flank with Jelle Van Damme and Leandre Griffit making life tough for Hall and Nicell.

One such instance occurred in the 21st minute when the French left winger Griffith got to the left hand byline only for Stuart Wall to clear off his own goal line.

The Saints kept up the pressure with Van Damme,Theo Walcott and Fabrice Fernandes all keeping Shearer occupied.

Six minutes before the interval, the small band of City supporters and the Coventry bench were appealing for a penalty when Craig Reid had won a corner and then was brought down by Kyle Critchell from behind. It looked a good shout for a penalty but only a goal kick was given by Mr Tomlinson.

The Premiership side went straight down the other end of the ground surrounded by trees through Fernandes who,from twenty yards power a drive which Shearer superbly pushed round for a corner.

The Scottish keeper,back from two loan spells at Rushden, then threw himself to his left to pound away a close range Fernandes effort.

City were forced to play with only Vijay Sidhu up front as Craig Reid had to come back to help the hard working Thornton and Andy Gooding in midfield and two minutes into the second half, from a deep position, Reid teed up Thornton who lashed a seventeen yard swerving shot onto the crossbar before being cleared.

Southampton had already had the ball in the net when a Walcott flick was ruled out, but the second time they managed it, the goal counted.

Ryan Lynch had conceded a 64th minute free kick some 25 yards out and been cautioned for it. When the kick was taken the ball was knocked back to Leandre Griffit who drilled a low shot which beat Shearer on his left hand post and rolled across the line via the opposite post.

Back came the Sky Blues and three minutes later, Kevin Thornton curled a free kick from twenty two yards into the far corner.

Robinson's side might have gone into the lead in the 72nd minute when Ryan Lynch raced through and was hauled down on the edge of the area by Martin Cranie who became the third caution of the match.

Paul McCrink came on for Sidhu just before a 79th minute 25 yarder from Griffit rattled the crossbar.

With seven minutes left, Adam Layfield replaced Ryan Lynch in a bid to keep hold of a point from the game.

Sadly, the plan did not work as the home side wrapped up a justified victory when Theo Walcott flicked in from an 86th minute corner and two minutes later, Fabrice Fernandes was allowed to cut inside for the umpteenth time in the game and rifle a low shot past Scott Shearer on his left.

The defeat was disappointing but against a very good Saints side, was not totally unexpected. It left City with a fourth from bottom finish,one place above Leicester.
HT SFC 0-0 CCFC FT SFC 3-1 CCFC
ATT 72
GOALS Leandre Griffit 64,
Kevin Thornton 67,
Theo Walcott 86,
Fabrice Fernandes 88
BOOKED Thornton,Cranie,Lynch
MAN OF THE MATCH - Scott Shearer
TEAM
Shearer,Nicell,Lynch (Layfield 83),Ogarro (Bains 86), Turner,Wall,Hall,Gooding,Sidhu (McCrink 73), Reid,Thornton SNU Tuffey,Stringfellow
SOUTHAMPTON
Poke,Critchell,Van Damme,Gillett,Cranie, Folly,Fernandes,Walcott,McGoldrick,Surman,Griffit
SNU Best,Jones,Dyer,Anaclet,Richards