COVENTRY CITY 1-2 CARLISLE UNITED
City
Murphy, Clarke, Brown, Wood, Kilbane, Baker, Daniels (Reckord 64), Jennings (Henderson 22), McSheffrey (McDonald 69), Fleck, McGoldrick. Subs Dunn, Elliott, Edjenguele, Willis.
Carlisle
Gillespie, Simek, Robson, McGovern, Livesey (Edwards 89), Murphy, Cadamarteri, Thirlwell (Potts 82), Berrett, Garner (Higginbotham 84), Chantler. Subs Collin, Noble, Beck, Symington.
HT CCFC 1-1 CAFC
FT CCFC 1-2 CAFC
ATT 10,674
Referee P.Miller, Assts S.Barrow & S.Plane. Fourth Official M.Howes
Goals Cadamarteri 24 pen, McGoldrick 37, Livesey 57
Booked Clarke,Baker, Thirlwell
Man Of The Match - David McGoldrick easily took all the votes.
---------------------------------
Mark Robins first game in charge of Coventry City saw a 2-1 home defeat to Carlisle United.
At the end of a week when new members in Mark Robins, coach Steve Taylor and three players joined the cast currently starring in the soap opera that is Coventry City FC, the Sky Blues took on Carlisle United at the Ricoh Arena on a sunny but cold afternoon.
Mark Robins, probably the most palatable of all the mangerial candidates even if he was first, second or third choice depending on who you believe, named a side which had four changes from the side which badly let down the 610 City supporters at Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday night.
In came Reece Brown, Billy Daniels, John Fleck and Gary McSheffrey whilst two of the three players Robins brought in yesterday in Conor Henderson and Jamie Reckord were on the bench.
A sparse crowd, who paid good respect to the late Ernie Machin before the game, with the releasing of 288 balloons by Dave Clements on behalf of the Former Players Association who were holding their annual Legends Day, which despite the short notice was reasonably attended, saw Greg Abbott's side in a green kit, win two early free kicks.
With Richard Shaw nowhere to be seen and Robins and new coach Steve Taylor in the technical area, City playing a 4-4-2 formation that had Fleck and McGoldrick as the front runners, had their first chance in the 13th minute when Fleck played in McSheffrey who sent a tame effort wide.
Four minutes later, McGoldrick did very well to cross the ball into the mix at what used to be the CT Stand end, just missing the incoming McSheffrey by inches.
In the 22nd minute, Steve Jennings limped off and was replaced by loanee from Arsenal Conor Henderson. He had been on the pitch for less than thirty seconds when Carlisle attacked and Richard Wood fouled. Mr Miller awarded a penalty which Danny Cadamarteri converted to put the Cumbrians ahead.
McSheffrey missed a great chance in the 27th minute when he sent a Baker cross from the right into the side netting.
Referee Mr Miller, who had zero respect from City fans after his handling of the 2-0 loss at Palace that time, was again incurring the wrath of the City support for some very poor decisions, before the City fans were on their feet when a delightful cross was headed home by David McGoldrick with a flick of his head in the 37th minute, to get the Sky Blues deservedly level.
City came at Carlisle at the start of the second half. McSheffrey had a clear penalty appeal waved away by Mr Miller before Baker's deflected shot won a corner.
Henderson playing in a central midfield role, worked hard on his debut along side Billy Daniels, whilst Fleck who had to come deep too often, put in plenty of effort as did David McGoldrick.
Unfortunately, too often, City's defence and especially the central pairing of Wood and Brown did not gel and in the 57th minute. a poor clearance by Kilbane saw Murphy diving to his left to push away a McGovern pile-driver. The corner came in and there was Danny Livesey to powerfully head home from six yards to restore the Cumbrians lead.
In front of a crowd of 10,674, Robins made his second change in the 64th minute taking off Billy Daniels and bringing on left back Jamie Reckord whilst Kilbane went into midfield.
Robins final change came in the 69th minute and saw Cody McDonald come on for McSheffrey to huge cheers.
Fleck won a corner which came to nothing as Mr Miller spotted an infringement whilst David McGoldrick continued to be a threat to the Carlisle defence and struck Gillespie's right hand post with nine minutes left as did McDonald, who hit the decidedly under-worked keeper's left hand post, seven minutes later.
City, who travel to Arsenal on Wednesday for a Capital One Cup Third Round tie, the only competition they have won in normal time in, deserved something out of the game but Mark Robins started his Sky Blue career with a defeat.