COVENTRY CITY 2-2 NOTTINGHAM FOREST BY KEV MONKS
TEAM
Westwood, Gunnarsson, Ward, Turner, Hall, Mifsud, Beuzelin, Doyle (Simpson 73),Tabb, Eastwood (Best 75), Morrison SNU Marshall, Clarke, Wynter
Forest
Camp, Maloney (Chambers 86), Wilson, Morgan, Lynch, Anderson, McGugan (Newbold 88), Cohen, Perch, Earnshaw (McCleary 75), Garner. SNU Smith, Thornhill.
HT CCFC 2-1 NFFC FT CCFC 2-2 NFFC ATT 17,542
Goals Elliott Ward (75 seconds), Robbie Earnshaw (26), Clinton Morrison (28), Joe Garner (61)
Referee N.Swarbrick
Booked Beuzelin, DoyleMan Of The Match - Aron Gunnarsson took the votes from Ben Turner with nominations for Mifsud and Marcus Hall.
________________________________________________________
STARTING LINE-UP
With injuries and suspensions proving a major headache for Chris Coleman, the City boss made a number of changes. Youngsters Jordan Clarke and Curtis Wynter were included in the bench.
_______________________________________________________
CITY SUPPORT
About what one would expect in the current Sky Blue climate, the financial climate and the time of year. City supporters from Iceland, Norway and Northern Ireland joined those of us from closer to home.
Forest had just over 2,500 fans with them. They caused a bit of trouble expecially after the game with one incident by Tescos.
_____________________________________________________
WEATHER
A sunny day but as the sun dipped behind the Jewson Stand, the temperature dropped pretty quickly.
_____________________________________________________
Coventry City ended up grateful to Nottingham Forest missing a couple of late sitters as they took a point when three looked likely.
Against sides in the bottom three, City always struggle but fielding a vastly changed team due to injuries and suspensions and back to playing 4-4-2, they were ahead after only 75 seconds in this Championship match.
Forest attacking the CT Stand in the first half, kicked off but City soon got possession. Michael Mifsud, who was a worry for a lacking visiting defence, played the ball back to Guilluame Beuzlin and the Frenchman delivered a beautiful ball to the far post where Elliott Ward ghosted in to smash into the net.
"You're Not Famous Anymore" was the taunt from the Scoreboard End to the Forest support on their left as we celebrated City's fastest goal of the season.
The Forest defence may have been asleep when City scored but at the other end, the City defence which included Marcus Hall against one of his former clubs, were equally questionable when Forest should have levelled in the third minute.
Only a bad miss by Joe Garner from eighteen yards stopped Forest equalising before City's midfield which again lacked leadership, started to regain their grip on the game.
Ben Turner, who made some excellent saving tackles in the first half, sent a 10th minute Beuzlin corner onto the roof of the net and five minutes later, Michael Doyle fired across the face of the goal.
Just over a minute later, Forest carved open the City defence and Paul Anderson from the left delivered a wonderful cross which was only bettered by Keiren Westwood one handedly palming the ball over the top for a corner.
The experienced Rob Earnshaw is still full of pace and in the 20th minute, he used it to get in a good position only to toe-poke wide and then he was denied by a brilliant tackle by Ben Turner.
But you can't take your eyes off good players like that for a second and that was the City defence did. A quick break by Colin Calderwood's side saw the ball find Chris Cohen on the right. An excellent cross was met by Rob Earnshaw who had lost his marker and dived low to head Forest level from seven yards.
The visiting fans were cheering but less than two minutes later, so were we as City were back in front. Coventry won a corner. Beuzelin sent it near post and there was Captain for the day - Clinton Morrison to head into the net as the Forest defenders stood watching.
Back came Forest. Cohen dinked one over the bar, before the hapless Lewis McGugan got himself in a great position only to waste another good chance.
In stoppage time, Earnshaw was allowed to spin round inside the area and hit a shot. Westwood, in the City goal reacted superbly and got a touch to send the ball over for a corner.
In the second half and it was again the visitors who looked the more dangerous. With Beuzelin cautioned for a foul on James Perch, the Sky Blues only showed glimpses of adding to their tally.
With Freddie Eastwood doing plenty of running but having little of the ball and Clinton Morrison giving his team-mates encouragement but not getting any service, Aron Gunnarsson who had done a good job at right back was City's best hope of scoring for a third time.
The Ice Man made one surging run in the 54th minute,bursting upfield and winning a corner. Then two minutes later, he was involved again to play in Mifsud who was only thwarted by a great tackle by Wilson which some City supporters thought was a penalty.
Just past the hour mark, City were pegged back by a goal that was a carbon copy of the one they conceded in their last home game against Swansea. A needless free kick was given away about forty yards out. Joel Lynch sent the ball into the mixer. A host of players all went up but it was Joe Garner who raced away in celebration after getting the final header to send the ball past Keiren Westwood.
City's second booking of a game well refereed by Mr Swarbrick who had been on our televisions for the Histon V Leeds FA Cup tie last Sunday, came in the 63rd minute when Michael Doyle burst through. The midfielder ran into the area and instead of taking a chance to shoot with his right, went looking for a penalty and was cautioned after falling down very unconvincingly.
Doyle was hauled off ten minutes later and replaced by Robbie Simpson. In the 75th minute, Chris Coleman made his second change with Leon Best coming on for Freddie Eastwood. Again, there were boos but it was hard to tell whether these were coming from the Tescos and CT Stand or the away end.
Instead of looking for the winner, City were starting to hang on for a point. Simpson had one chance when his shot went across the face of the goal and in the 89th minute, another run by Gunnarsson saw him find Michael Mifsud inside the area. The Maltese international did everything right but Lee Camp made a fantastic save,conceding a corner.
Now had Earnshaw had the two chances in the dying seconds, then it would have been victory to Forest. However, clean through, substitute McCleary fired wide in the first minute of stoppage time and then missed with an even better chance to ensure that this game finished in a draw.
This match report is dedicated to the memory of very long time City supporter Fred Griffin who passed away on Wednesday aged 90.