COVENTRY CITY 2-2 PETERBOROUGH UNITED SAT APRIL 7TH at Ricoh Arena
City: Murphy, Clarke, Keogh, Cranie, Hussey, Clingan, Bigirimana (Deegan 84), Norwood, McSheffrey, McDonald, Nimely (Platt 72). SNU Dunn, Willis, Christie.
Peterborough; Jones, Alcock, Brisley, Zakuani, Rowe, McCann, Fecklington (Little 55), Boyd, Tomlin (Ball 63), Sinclair, Taylor. SNU Lewis, Kearns, Newall.
HT CCFC 2-1 PUFC FT CCFC 2-2 PUFC NOTS 18,760
Referee D.McDermid Assts A. Hutchinson and M.Jones
Booked Alcock, Platt, Hussey
Goals Emile Sinclair (3 & 75), Cody McDonald (24), Gary McSheffrey (pen 44),
Man Of The Match Richard Keogh took the votes with nominations for Norwood, Clingan and Hussey.
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CITY SUPPORT With City unbeaten in their last six matches, £1 admission for kids, and the game on the Easter holiday weekend, it was not a surprise that this game drew a bigger crowd. City supporters from as far away as Australia were present.
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CITY TEAM: .Andy Thorn made only one change from the side which won at Hull and Cody McDonald came in for Clive Platt.
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Coventry City will look back at this game as one they really should have won after being pegged back by Peterborough United at the Ricoh Arena.
On a cold, grey day after the pre-game rain had passed, there was plenty of confidence around the ground that City who had moved out of the bottom three of the Championship table would get the three points they needed to in order to further increases their chances of playing second tier football next season.
However, Darren Ferguson’s side had different ideas and we had played two minutes and fifty five seconds by my watch when a long ball picked out Emile Sinclair, some twenty yards out on the right hand side of the pitch. Sinclair hit an absolutely stunning shot which flew high into the CT Stand net leaving Joe Murphy helpless.
In the crowd was Sir Alex Ferguson, who was not only watching his son but the midfielder he had loaned to Coventry City in Oliver Norwood. What he saw was a workmanlike performance from the Northern Ireland international that many would like to see loaned to the Sky Blues for the whole of next season.
Norwood who fired a seventh minute shot at Paul Jones in the Posh goal, battled to get back City back in the game along with Sammy Clingan who had one of his best games for the Sky Blues in a while.
Joe Murphy had to dive to his left to push away an 18th minute George Boyd shot for a corner, which Tomlin had deflected for another but City with Richard Keogh making some cracking blocks grew stronger.
In the 24th minute, Norwood put in a tremendous cross field ball to Jordan Clarke on the right. The right back who again worked hard for the cause played in a delightful ball for Cody McDonald to head into the net.
McSheffrey and Clingan went close before the Sky Blues won a 36th minute. That was cleared and “Keogh” was the chant from the City fans as the defender made a great block.
Peterborough won a corner and Keogh made another good tackle.
Some of the City support could be heard getting on the players backs but in the 44th minute, they were silenced when another great ball from Norwood picked out Clarke who was tripped. The yellow shirted referee Mr McDermid pointed to the spot and Gary McSheffrey coolly scored to see the Sky Blues go in 2-1 up at the break.
That Coventry classic song - Lieutenant Pigeon’s ‘Mouldy Old Dough’ blasted out at the interval but it failed to give the City players that early lift as Peterborough started the better in the second half, winning a corner and having Craig Alcock flash over.
In the 50th minute, Jones made a cracking save to beat away a shot from Gary McSheffrey who then sent over a ball for Cody McDonald which deflected off a defender on to the crossbar and over for a corner.
Alex Nimely who again found chances hard to come by, had a 59th minute drive pushed over with Clingan sending the ball when he got it from the flag-kick agonisingly wide.
Darren Ferguson made their second substitution but his new additions could do nothing as Chris Hussey was involved in a great move which saw his shot brilliantly pushed away one-handedly by Jones.
Clingan fired over from twenty yards before Andy Thorn wrapped up in his club issue coat made a change bringing Clive Platt on for Alex Nimely, who did not look too pleased at being replaced before he applauded the City support as he exited off the pitch.
Platt went wide. Then in the 75th minute, Peterborough won a corner. Where the marking was I don’t know but Emile Sinclair had plenty of freedom to score and delight the 1786 strong travelling support.
Instead of having three points in the bag, City were looking at a point. Urged on by the management and the City support, they kept going and it was only a brilliant save by Jones using his legs that stopped Cody McDonald who had done everything right from putting the Sky Blues back in front.
Gary Deegan was sent on for Gael Bigirimana who had worked well and the Irishman put in a great ball to find Clingan and win a corner which Ball hooked off the line.
Richard Keogh thought he had claims for a penalty when his shirt was pulled but Clive Platt had a far better shout in the first minute of the three added one when he was pulled by Zakuani as he went for a Clarke cross.
The last kick of the match saw Sammy Clingan thump the crossbar but all City had to take from a good performance which certainly merited a victory was a point.