Super Stan Seals City Win

Last updated : 02 April 2005 By Kev Monks
COVENTRY CITY 2-1 BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION BY KEV MONKS

"We Are Staying Up" might have been a premature chant from the City supporters but their chances of survival increased thanks to a 2-1 home win over Brighton & Hove Albion.

Having slipped into the relegation zone following the defeat at Sunderland,a fortnight ago, Micky Adams against his former club made a number of changes.

With Ian Bennett deciding that doing nothing at Birmingham was better than playing for the Sky blues, Luke Steele came back in goal. Steve Staunton partnered Robert Page at the back with Captain Stephen Hughes resuming his role in midfield. Also in midfield was Lloyd Dyer who joined City on loan from West Brom. He went on the left,Claus Jorgensen went on the right leaving Gary McSheffrey up front with Shaun Goater on his home league debut.

For Mark McGhee's side, this was also a vital game, knowing that defeat would plunge them deep into the mire and the side from Sussex by the sea were backed by a following of just over 3,000. Not bad considering their current playing venue at Withdean only holds around 6,700.

Whilst the majority of Brighton fans chanted "There's only one Micky Adams" a statement firmly echoed by those in the reasonably full home areas. One individual who was in the lower part of the away section, decided to react to taunts that homosexuality was rife amongst the Brighton fans by exposing himself.

Back to tackles of the proper kind and in the 7th minute, we had the bizarre spectacle of a mix-up between Luke Steele and Richard Duffy giving the visitors a free kick a couple of foot away from Steele's right hand post. With four City players on the goal line,thankfully Adam Virgo could only slam the kick into the side netting.

Dyer, despite being heavily marked, was having a good go down the left flank and was involved in City winning two corners.
With eighteen minutes gone, Leon Knight became the first player cautioned for a trip. The visitors recovered from the resulting free kick and Adam Virgo got in a close range shot which Steele blocked with his feet.

Gary McSheffrey was working hard up front with Goater and in the 31st minute, McSheffrey broke through, tried to chip Alan Blayney in the Brighton goal but sent the ball agonisingly over the bar.
It all got silly in the 38th minute when Brighton had a free kick. As the players were picking up their markers, Michael Doyle stamped on Knight.

This provoked Mark McCammon into action and the former Millwall player was clearly seen throwing punches. Referee Mark Cowburn summoned both his assistants and both Doyle and McCammon were cautioned and in my book, very lucky to still be on the pitch.
Knight took the free kick,found Virgo who turned and lashed the ball into the net. To me, the goal looked fine but Mr Cowburn was in a Sky Blue mood and disallowed the goal for offside.

This generosity continued straight after the restart when he awarded City a penalty. Claus Jorgensen had won Coventry a corner, ten seconds into the second period. Stephen Hughes took the kick at the West End and sent the ball into the penalty are which had been watered both before kick-off and at half-time. To everyone's amazement. Mr Cowburn had spotted some shirt pulling and awarded a penalty. By whom,I couldn't tell, but in such a vital game like this, if Lady Luck makes an appearance then chances have to taken.
This it was,as Gary McSheffrey fired the spot kick high into the net.

Adam Virgo
was booked in the 55th minute for a very late tackle on Richard Duffy but seven minutes later, was celebrating when a mistake by Page let Brighton's top scorer in to rifle the ball past Steele with a low drive.

The Brighton fans at the front of the away section , got a bit over excited at this goal and punches were thrown at the stewards who tried to stop them getting onto the pitch. More stewards were brought in and told by West Enders to "Watch Their Arses" before the police who were outside the ground came in and made two ejections.

Back on the pitch, Blayney had caught a close range header from Steve Staunton who had met a Goater knock down from a Dyer cross.

In the 67th minute, Lloyd Dyer who had certainly given 100% was replaced by Dele Adebola. The Nigerian who came on to add height to the City front two, was involved straight away when a superb saving tackle blocked the ball was he about to shoot.

Three minutes later, City had a penalty appeal turned down when a handball by Harding was not spotted by Mr Cowburn.
City were camped in the Albion half as McSheffrey swept over from a Hughes ball.

Mark McCammon was replaced by Chris McPhee in the 75th minute and two minutes later Micky Adams made a double switch bringing on Andy Morrell for Claus Jorgensen and replacing Sean Goater who had done ok on his debut with Trevor Benjamin.

A bicycle kick from the striker from Northampton was charged down and with ten minutes left, Blayney who joined the Seagulls on loan from Southampton, made two good saves to deny firstly Adebola and then McSheffrey.

With the results elsewhere not going too badly, a win for City would see them move out of the relegation zone and up another three place and with just over six minutes left it happened.

Stephen Hughes found Benjamin who knocked the ball on for Steve Staunton. The Irish international who is out of contract at the end of this season, looked up and hammered the ball off the right hand post and into the net.

City supporters were diving everywhere in celebration and although things were a bit edgy towards the end, the Sky Blues were able to hold on and record their first home victory since beating Watford before Christmas.


HT CCFC 0-0 BHAFC FT CCFC 2-1 BHAFC

ATT 18,606

GOALS - Gary McSheffrey (47 mins pen)
Adam Virgo (62 mins)
Steve Staunton (83 mins)

Booked Knight,McCammon,Doyle.Virgo

Man Of The Match - Michael Doyle took the votes from Steve Staunton in what was a good team performance.

TEAM
Steele,Staunton,Page,Hall,Duffy,Dyer (Adebola 67),Hughes,Doyle,Jorgensen (Morrell 78),McSheffrey,Goater (Benjamin 78) SNU Pressman,Whing.