Wasted Chances Drop City To 20th

Last updated : 06 December 2009 By Kev Monks at Glanford Park

SCUNTHORPE UNITED 1-0 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
Date 06/12/09 At Glanford Park Championship

Coventry
Westwood, Cranie, Barnett, Wood, Hall (Hussey 65), Eastwood, Cork, Gunnarsson, McIndoe (Madine 78), Best Morrison SNU Konstantopolous, Clarke, Jeffers, McPake

Scunthorpe
Murphy (Lillis 12), Bryrne, Mirfin, Jones, Williams, O'Connor, McCann, J.Wright, Woolford, Hayes (Friend 91), Hooper (Thompson 88) SNU A. Wright, Tugwell, Sparrow, Fonte

HT SUFC 1-0 CCFC FT SUFC 1-0 CCFC ATT 5,013
Goals Gary Hooper (26)
Referee N. Miller Booked O'Connor
Man Of The Match Leon Best took the votes fin our car with a nomination for Freddy Eastwood
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Coventry City are down to 20th in the Championship table with a 1-0 defeat at Scunthorpe United.

In a week where the Ray Ranson interview on the second anniversary of his tenure, provided little to write home about, it was back to the business of trying to get a victory with a Sunday trip to Scunthorpe.

The arrival of the Sky TV cameras to Glanford Park meant an early departure. Thankfully, there was little traffic about and getting to the ground via a house of a long-standing City supporting family was easy once the rain had stopped.

The teams at a cold but sunny Glanford Park were piped onto the pitch by a kilted guard of honour.



The all blacks of Coventry City were without the suspended Stephen Wright and Patrick van Aanholt as well as David Bell but Michael McIndoe who had not trained all week passed a fitness test and started.

Scunthorpe attacked the end where the City support which looked around 500 strong with their view partly restricted by pillars in the single tier stand were, in the first half.

The first two attacks were both at our end and resulted in Richard Wood conceding a corner before Jack Cork who had tasted life as a Scunthorpe player, firing across his own goal for another corner.

When Freddy Eastwood got the ball at his feet, he displayed some good touches. One in the tenth minute, swept up and sent the ball back for Keiren Westwood to direct upfield for Leon Best. The striker, who for most of the match was the Sky Blues best chance of a goal, went for goal with Murphy able to gather, rather than squaring for the unmarked Best.

City got the ball straight back and Joe Murphy, who might have been a City keeper if Scunthorpe had lost their League One play-off final last May, twice denied Best. His second save diving to his left, saw his knee collide with the post and a stretcher was summoned. Play was delayed for five minutes as Murphy was carried off to good applause from both sets of fans.

His replacement Josh Lillis looked nervous early on when he fumbled a McIndoe shot but after that he was not tested. Unlike last week at QPR, City forgot how to attack and with no midfield, Scunthorpe were able to enjoy plenty of freedom when going forward.

After referee Mr Miller made a complete hash of a free kick which had to be re-taken, a 23rd minute cross found Woolford some eight yards out. Westwood was more than equal to his header though with a diving save for a corner.

Paul Hayes went wide but in the 26th minute on my watch that had been stopped when play was suspended for the Murphy injury, Scunthorpe took the lead.

Gary Hooper was allowed to get past the central pairing of Barnett and Wood and drive a low shot into the bottom of the net at this tight ground.

We stood staring at each other as minds were being cast back to the fury the last time we lost at Scunthorpe, also under Chris Coleman who was pacing furiously in his technical area.

His body language was that of a worried man and clearly his side were giving him plenty to worry about. Yes, they might have had a penalty when Clinton Morrison was sent crashing in the 34th minute but although there was effort from Best and Eastwood, up front there was nothing to save the team apart from Keiren Westwood from being booed off at the break.

Halftime time saw a standing ovation for members of the Armed Forces who were paraded on the pitch but when the teams came back on it was more of the same.

The agitation on the City bench got the fourth official involved before Coleman and Steve Harrison, who must also shoulder some of the blame for the lack of belief the players were now displaying in themselves, went for a change.

Chris 'Womble' Hussey replaced Marcus Hall who had a steady game and after a bad miss from Paul Hayes had kept the score at 1-0. the match practice lacking Gary Madine replaced Michael McIndoe.

With just over ten minutes left, City responded to our "Come On City" chant. A header sent the ball down and it went straight to Madine about six yards out with Lillis in the Scunthorpe goal badly placed. Had it fallen to Best, Morrison or youngsters Shaun Jeffers or Robert Ogleby, it would certainly have been a goal. Somehow, Carlisle's fifth best striker smashed it over the bar much to the howls of the City support.

Best then found Gunnarsson, a great ball from the Icelander who tried today but did not achieve as much as he would have liked with his long throws that were easily defended by Jones, brilliantly picked out Eastwood who side-footed agonisingly wide.

In the 84th minute, City had a good shout for penalty when a ball from Madine was handled. Nothing apart from a corner was given and when Hussey's kick came in, it fell for Madine to head straight at the waiting arms of Lillis.

Scunthorpe had just announced Gary Hooper as a man of the match and this honour must have put him off as he wasted a great chance before he was replaced by Thompson.

With three minutes to go, Madine incurred more wrath from the City support, a number of whom would be willing on this performance to give Cumbrians Boss Greg Abbott his striker back now, by wasting another good chance when he headed wide.

It was the wasting of chances and some selfish play that cost Coventry City at least a point and means that our wait for a victory disgracefully continues on.