COVENTRY CITY 1-2 BOAVISTA FC BY KEV MONKS
A very expensive day at the office saw Coventry City crash to a 2-1 home defeat to Boavista.
For the Sky Blues,this had not been a good week. Micky Adams had been frustrated in his attempts to sign Man City's Lee Croft and priced out by an enquiry for Bobby Zamora whilst the club had a visit from the bailiffs for an unpaid £150k electricity and gas bill.
It was no surprise that this game only attracted a small gate. Moving to an evening kick off made the game impossible for many supporters who either had previous arrangements or were not able to get to the game due to transport problems which included the closing of Cov railway station for engineering works.
Getting a ticket was also a problem with only the ground ticket office open on the day of the game as well as some parking permits (mine included) not having arrived, which meant I missed the first minute of the match and the naming of the visitors team.
Those in a sparse crowd of 3,406 saw Adams start with Ward and Heath at the back and Kevin Thornton, who will miss the first three games of the season due to suspension, in midfield.
The visitors famous for their black and white chequered shirts fired over early on but it was City who attacked for the next fifteen minutes with Hughes having an effort parried and then working with Thornton to set up McSheffrey for a shot which was deflected for a corner.
In the 24th minute, Gary McSheffrey was clattered by Hugo Monteiro. A scuffle started and Monteiro was red card by referee and former Coventrian Pete Walton followed by Gary McSheffrey.
Now, I did not have a clear view of the incident but the assistant referee on the East Stand side did and spotted some retaliation by McSheffrey who will miss the next three league games as well.
That was the only incident of note in a drab first half apart from Andy Marshall having to save from a Joao Lucas header on the stroke of half-time.
There was a chorus of boos on the half-time directed at the visitors and the referee rather than at a City team who played reasonably.
Adams started the second half with four changes bringing on Robert Page who took over the captaincy and Tabb,Cameron and Morrell.
The second half started with more excitement off the pitch than on it with the CET stand coming to life singing a mix of City and England songs.
David McNamee who looked useful down the right flank put in some good crosses but could never quite find a receiver in the box. The Scot was replaced on the hour mark alongside Doyle,Ward and Stern John.
In the 67th minute,the visitors took the lead thanks to the ball being knocked back for Roland Linz whose low shot skidded off the turf and went past Marshall after Whing had failed to clear the danger.
Robert Page limped off, feeling his groin, but four minutes later, the misery lifted for Micky Adams side.
City were back on level terms when Wayne Andrews created space and drove a 25 yarder low superbly finding the gap between the diving keeper and the his left hand post.
"A draw I'll take", I thought. Wrong!. Back came Boavista and in the 74th minute they retook the lead when Ze Manuel got down the right and screwed back for Roland Linz to blast past Marshall.
Scott Ward came on for Andy Marshall but with ten minutes remaining, Wayne Andrews was stretchered off following a tackle from behind which the referee missed.
In stoppage time, Fary should have added to Boavista's margin of victory scored when he beat the advancing Ward but struck the bar and Andy Whing headed the rebound out for a corner.
City travel to Kidderminster on Tuesday night before facing Sunderland at home next Sunday.
HT CCFC 0-0 BFC
FT CCFC 1-2 BFC
ATT 3,406
Goals Roland Linz (67 &74 ),Wayne Andrews (71)
Team
Marshall (S.Ward 76),McNamee, (Jorgensen 60), Hall,Heath (Page 46),Ward (Whing 60),Thornton (Morrell 46),Hughes (Cameron 46),Doyle (Hutchison 60),McSheffrey (Sent off 27) ,Adebola (Tabb 46),John (Andrews 61)
Subs Not Used Turner
Boavista
William, Bessa (Marrquinho 60), R. Silva, Kazmierczak (Grzelak 46),Pereira (Fary 72), Antonio (Essame,Manuel 65), Sousa , M.Silva (Dinis 60), Rosario (Cisse 65), Lucas, (Linz 46), Monteiro (Sent off 27).
Subs Faye, Jehle
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