COVENTRY CITY 2-0 NORWICH CITY BY KEV MONKS
Team
Westwood,Wright,Fox,Dann,Ward Gray (McKenzie 69),Beuzelin,Gunnarsson, Tabb (Simpson 46),Eastwood (Thornton 83),Morrison SNU Ireland,Turner
Norwich
Marshall,Shackell,Omozusi,Kennedy,Stefanovic,Croft,Clingan (Russell 79),Fotheringham,Hoolahan,Cureton,Lupoli (Koroma 62) SNU Nelson,Drury,Pattison.
HT CCFC 0-0 NCFC FT CCFC 2-0 NCFC ATT 22,607 (2010 Norwich)Goals Elliott Ward pen (47), Leon McKenzie (86)
Referee C.Webster
Booked Stefanovic, Fotheringham,McKenzie
Man Of The Match - Elliott Ward took the votes well ahead of nominations for Keiran Westwood and Stephen Wright.
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CITY SUPPORT
Personally, I would have thought somewhere in the region for 24,000 for this game but with many people still away. It was not too bad an attendance. Plenty of support for the team throughout the match.
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STARTING FORMATION
Chris Coleman gave all his new boys debuts in the starting eleven and played with a 4-4-2 formation.
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WEATHER
The rain stopped just before kick off and it was a not too unpleasant afternoon.
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Some times, statistics do give an indication of a result and the fact that the home side had not lost in 24 out of the last 25 matches between the Sky Blues and Norwich City gave hope for a City win which came to bear with two second half goals.
It was not the best of first halves for the Sky Blues who spent much of the time having to stop threat after treat from Glenn Roeder's side. After the air of anticipation, everytime Freddie Eastwood touched the ball in the opening exchanges had died down, City's midfield were taking their time to gel.
Julian Gray, who had played very well in the final friendly at Kilmarnock, showed some good touches whilst Jay Tabb again displayed the work rate that City supporters are well used. But Aron Gunnarsson and Guilly Beuzelin,who are still getting to know each other's styles were caught by the quick breaking visitors on a number of occasions.
An early example of this had seen Croft get round the back of Danny Fox only to see his centre headed away for a corner by Scott Dann and another game in the eighth minute when a Lupoli cross just missed the former Manchester City winger at the far post.
City's best chance on goal came in the 16th minute when Julian Gray got in a good position and his cross cum shot had to be hooked away for a corner.
At the other end, Elliott Ward,Scott Dann and Stephen Wright, who displayed the same form as he had done in pre-season to earn a move all made saving tackles. In the 35th minute,Ward bravely blocked Lupoli and two minutes later, the former West Ham player and Stephen Wright combined to deny Jamie Cureton.
Play was then stopped for three minutes when Dejan Stefanovic hacked down Jay Tabb on the edge of the area. It earned the former Portsmouth man a yellow card and was to force Tabb out of the game.
Tabb lasted until the interval and was replaced by Robbie Simpson for the start of the second half which was stopped after only three seconds when Gunnarsson was fouled.
The Icelander was getting stronger and stronger as the match progressed and after getting up he was involved in a move which sent Beuzelin into the penalty area. Across came Sammy Clingan and down the Frenchman went. Was there contact? Hmmm difficult to say but a penalty was awarded. Elliott Ward as he had done at Kilmarnock, stepped up and thumped the ball into the net before racing over to the jubilant City support in the corner of the CT Stand.
In the 57th minute, Ward made his only mistake of the game being beaten in the air,allowing the ball to be fed out to Lee Croft whose cross,bobbled around the six yard box before a Norwich player thankfully headed over.
With Lupoli being replaced by Koroma, Jamie Cureton was superbly denied in the 68th minute by Westwood diving to his left and then getting back to stop a low drive.
Now whilst this had been going on, Leon McKenzie had been warming up and in the 69th minute,he came on for Julian Gray. The former Norwich man had been expecting some stick but fair play to the Norwich supporters who applauded him onto the pitch.
Against his former club, McKenzie breathed more life into the Sky Blues whilst the exceedingly long throw-ins hurled with the force used by an Olympic javelin thrower from Aron Gunnarsson were certainly unsettling the Canaries back four.
City may have had the play but Norwich were always a threat and a brilliant one handed push over the bar by Westwood stopped Norwich from equalising in the 76th minute.
With Eastwood not getting as much service as he would have wanted, the Welsh international was replaced by Kev Thornton in the 83rd minute.
This pushed Clinton Morrison who had a quietish debut further up front and in the 85th minute, he was inside the six yard box to lift the ball onto the bar. The ball dropped down and there was Leon McKenzie to stab home for his 100th League goal.
McKenzie went mad, stripping off his shirt to reveal a vest with 100 goals on it. He raced right round to the corner of the CT Stand nearest the Main Stand which was where the referee caught up with him and cautioned him as we celebrated the goal and a victory that we hope will become the first of many this season.
City are in League Cup action on Wednesday night when they celebrate their 125th Anniversary with a League Cup 1st Round home tie against Aldershot Town.