COVENTRY CITY 3-2 PETERBOROUGH UNITED
City: Burge, Willis, Hines, Haynes, Johnson, Thomas, Fleck, McQuoid (Jackson 61), O'Brien (Finch 90), Barton, Fleck, Nouble. Subs: Allsop, Webster, Miller, Phillips, Maddison.
Peterborough: Alnwick, Smith, Bostwick, Taylor (Mendez-Laing 65) Payne, Washington (James 65), Newell, Burgess, Zakuani (Otzumer 74) M.Maddison. Subs: Grant, Ferdinand, McEvoy, Santos.
HT CCFC 0-2 PUFC FT CCFC 3-2 PUFC ATT 8957
Goals Jon Taylor 17, Marcus Maddison 27, Ryan Haynes 48, Jim O'Brien 62, Franck Nouble 64
Referee Roger East
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"All We Are Saying Is Give Us A Win" was the message delivered loud and clear to Coventry City's manager and players by Coventry City supporters this week and against second in the table Peterborough United, this is what City delivered.
This latest game for the Sky Blues, who will learn of their FA Cup First Round opponents on Monday night, was against Peterborough United at the Ricoh Arena came on the back of losses to Bristol City and a midweek 4-1 drubbing at Oldham.
Those defeats prompted blaming aplenty with everyone from Steve Waggott, manager Steven Pressley and the players all being singled out for their part in this latest demise and plenty of talk of how to put things right but talking a good game does not put points on the board and actions speak louder than words, so what was needed against Peterborough United was a victory.
Pressley, today in a coat and his favourite brown shoes, rang the changes dropping Ryan Allsop, giving a league debut to Lee Burge, and bringing back Reda Johnson and Frank Nouble, resplendent in his bright orange boots, in front of a crowd which included Brian Harry Roberts, Cyrille Regis, Jim Blyth, former U21 boss Ian Foster and former caretaker boss Lee Carseley, plus Spurs scout David Pleat.
Against a Posh team in an all black kit, City had the first chance in the third minute when McQuoid headed a cross wide.
Michael Smith fired wide from twenty yards three minutes later before the Sky Blues won a ninth minute corner and Joe Newell won another corner two minutes later that Johnson was able to head away, followed by another which Johnson again headed away for a throw.
Nouble attacked, bringing a save out of Ben Alnwick but in the seventeenth minute, Peterborough broke and the ball was slipped inside to Jon Taylor who was able to beat Burge with a low shot on his right.
Darren Ferguson, in a jumper and shirt, watched on as Marcus Maddison blasted over and Red Johnson was booked for a 27th minute foul on Maddison who promptly got up and sent a twenty five yard free kick past Burge who had been deceived by the bobble of the ball.
On the half hour mark and on a pitch which had been reduced in size, Posh, whose drummer, high up in the away end, was getting annoying, won a corner and should have a third when Conor Washington fired so wide it went for a throw.
Two more corners followed before a City throw ended up with Conor Thomas giving Ben Alnwick a very easy catch.
The mood amongst the City support was most definitely downbeat at the interval but no-one was prepared for what was to unfold and make the football the unpredictable game it is.
Facing the North Stand for the second half, Johnson headed over a 47th minute O'Brien free kick.
City attacked again and this time, O'Brien fed Ryan Haynes on the left and he got the ball and sent a lovely shot curling high into the net past Alnwick on his left.
Conor Thomas picked up a booking which will see him suspended for a match but the goal had raised City who had a 54th minute attack through McQuoid after an initial great tackle by Conor Thomas, who passed to Nouble for a shot that Alnwick got down to.
Burge pushed away a Taylor shot and O'Brien shot from range before Pressley sent on Simeon Jackson, just after the hour mark.
The Canadian was on for a matter of seconds when he found Haynes whose cross was headed on for Jim O'Brien to lash into the net.
The City fans were still celebrating as the Sky Blues attacked again and Frank Nouble got into a great position twenty odd yards out and hit a shot which dipped over Alnwick and into the net. Nouble raced off taking his shirt off in celebration and was booked but no-one really cared as City were now ahead.
Darren Ferguson looked furious and immediately made a double change and in the 74th minute, they sent on Erhun Otzumer, a player so small, he makes Micky Gynn, working away in the press box, look tall.
Otzumer might have lacked height being 5'3 but made up for it with plenty of running and won a 79th minute free kick which Marcus Maddison sent just over Burge's bar.
Nouble curled wide in the 82nd minute, Fleck went wide with a long ranger and Barton, who again played well, made a great tackle.
City's defence dealt with a Posh corner before Jim O'Brien came off to a standing ovation with Jack Finch taking over.
Five minutes were added on but City battled on to the end and took a deserved and much needed victory from a super second half showing.