COVENTRY CITY 2-1 COLCHESTER UNITED BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City moved back into the top half of the table with a 2-1 home win against Colchester United.
With injuries to Marcus Hall and David McNamee , the under pressure Micky Adams had to use the emergency loan system and brought in Clive Clarke from Sunderland.
The former West Ham defender slotted into City's back four alongside Richard Duffy who signed on loan for his third spell at Coventry late in the day after recovering from an injury picked up in a Portsmouth reserve game which at one time had made the loan look unlikely.
Leon McKenzie got a slot on the left flank with Colin Cameron on the right, whilst Kevin Kyler partnered Stern John up front.
As the game was moved for Sky TV due to both sides early exit from the League Cup, it was no surprise that there was a crowd of only 16,178 with just over 300 Colchester supporters making the trip up the A14 and there was little or no atmosphere.
Micky Adams had said that his game plan was to stop Colchester from dictating the play early on and this worked well. In fact it was the Sky Blues who looked the better side with Leon McKenzie always looking to push forward down the left flank.
With Greg Halford booked for a tenth minute trip on McKenzie,City won a corner and five minutes later should have been ahead when Stern John met McKenzie's cross but could only sweep the ball high over the bar at the away stand end.
Richard Duffy and Colin Clarke were rarely troubled by Geraint Williams side and both gave solid performances as the visitors who looked quick on the break always opted for long rangers or trying to go down the middle.
Injuries which forced City to spend £6k a week to bring in Clarke and Duffy have not troubled Colchester this season and the U's had named the same starting eleven for the last nine matches.
However in the 28th minute, that changed when Kevin Watson limped off and was replaced by former Sky Blue Jonnie Jackson who twice scored for Spurs Reserves against City last season.
Chris Barker and Karl Duguid were both cautioned for trips as the side making their first league appearance in Coventry since 1964 tried to cope with the threat posed by the Sky Blues whose passing was a lot better than at Wolves.
A Leon McKenzie free kick missed everybody in the 38th minute before Richard Garcia who will be suspended later this week for clocking up five bookings limped off and was replaced by Kevin McLeod.
Three minutes of stoppage time had been announced by the fourth official and those in the naughty corner had gone flying down the stairs to watch two City supporters fighting each other on the concourse, when City scored the goal the game was crying out for. Stern John got the ball ran at the U's defence and kept his good to beat Davison with a neat finish.
With former Sky Blues Richard Shaw and David Jones in Sky's commentary gantry and Martin O'Neill,George Burley, Forest boss Gary Calderwood in the Main Stand, City continued the momentum as the second half recommenced.
Michael Doyle should have scored three minutes in to the second half when good work from John played the midfielder in for a shot which he drilled wide.
Leon McKenzie also could have scored from a 52nd minute corner but in the 68th minute, Coventry went further ahead when a Kevin Kyle knock down found Stern John. The striker whose international future still hangs in the balance,held the ball up before stroking it into the path of Michael Doyle some thirteen yards out and this time the Irishman made no mistake firing low into the net for his first goal whilst playing under Micky Adams. The Irishman raced to the CT stand before running over to Gary McSheffrey who was sat in the Main Stand.
Stern John had been used to take some of City's set pieces but a 70th minute free kick on the left hand edge of the area went so wide it ended up in the East Stand.
With eleven to go, Colchester made their final change when Jamie Guy was introduced for Chris Iwelumo. It was a change that worked as the forward loaned to Cambridge United last season got down the left and cut inside before hitting a low 84th minute shot which beat the diving Marshall to reduce the arrears and give the away fans some reward for their outlay.
In order to break up play and stop Colchester from getting an equaliser,
Micky Adams made three changes. Jay Tabb came on for McKenzie in the 85th minute and four minutes later, Stern John who was the official Man Of The Match and Colin Cameron were replaced by Don Hutchison and Chris Birchall.
Micky Adams made three changes. Jay Tabb came on for McKenzie in the 85th minute and four minutes later, Stern John who was the official Man Of The Match and Colin Cameron were replaced by Don Hutchison and Chris Birchall.
These changes did the trick and City were back to winning ways.
HT CCFC 1-0 CUFC FT CCFC 2-1 CUFC
ATT 16,178
GOALS Stern John (45),Michael Doyle (68),Jamie Guy (84)
Referee M.Pike BOOKED Barker,Halford,Duguid
TEAM
Marshall,Clarke,Duffy,Page,Ward,Cameron (Birchall 89),Hughes,Doyle, McKenzie (Tabb 85),Kyle,John (Hutchison 89) SNU Adebola,Heath
COLCHESTER
Davison,Halford,Brown,Watson (Jackson 28),Barker, Garcia (McLeod 40),Izzett,Baldwin,Duguid,Cureton, Iwelumo (Guy 79) SNU Gerken,White