COVENTRY CITY 2-0 BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION BY KEV MONKS
Dennis Wise again earned every penny of his match fee scoring twice to give the Sky Blues a 2-0 home victory over Brighton.
There was only one change from the side that won at Hull on Tuesday night with Andy Whing coming in for Richard Duffy whilst Dennis Wise over-came a chest injury in order to play.
Backed by a following of one third of their average home gate, Brighton nearly took the lead in the fourth minute when the visitors won a corner which was knocked for Frutos to drive in a shot which City keeper Marton Fulop threw a hand to and forced the ball past the far post for a corner.
It was the away side who started to look a problem with Fulop saving from Robinson,Scowcroft heading away for a corner and Gary Hart firing wide.
But look a problem was all Brighton did as City stopped giving the ball away and got back in control.
An ejection in the East Stand in the 26th minute diverted some of the attention away from the game as the person being ejected put up a bit of a fight before being removed.
Three minutes later,City were forced into a change when Gary McSheffrey who had been suffering from a stomach bug had to be replaced. Andy Morrell was sent on and he slotted in to a right wing position
In the 42nd minute,City took the lead. Marcus Hall got down the left flank, his cross was perfect for Dennis Wise to run in and head the ball into the net.
Half-time saw MD Paul Fletcher, who had got the wrong end of the stick completely about the half-time hotshot penalty competition, in goal by way of some recompense to those young supporters who had been denied their moment of glory.
Judging by the number of kids taking part and whose parents/guardians had coughed up £50 for the privilege, this looked a bad bit of business by Fletcher, who would have been better telling the female DJ from Touch FM where to stick her annoying voice that had been the reason of the complaints.
City in front of a 20,541 gate were straight to the task. A 50th minute Marcus Hall cross won a corner as did the energetic Dele Adebola two minutes later.
Dennis Wise tried his luck in the 54th minute but this time, Brighton keeper Wayne Henderson just managed to grab the ball.
The Brighton custodian was certainly the busier blocking a Stern John close range effort after Andy Morrell had done well to get the ball over.
In the 67th minute, Henderson was picking the ball out of the net. Andy Whing used his pace to get down the right,force his way inside the penalty area and powered in a shot. Henderson got his body in front of it but the ball rebounded off his chest for Dennis Wise who said thank you very much and smashed the ball into the net at the CET Stand end.
The City supporters were in raptures as Wise celebrated with his trade mark and much appreciated race to your fans celebration.
Two goals to the good and with the points as good as won,Dele Adebola was replaced in the 68th minute by Don Hutchison whilst Brighton took off Robinson and Frutos.
Ten minutes later, an eight pass move saw Morrell sent down the right to cross for James Scowcroft to nip and but see his shot pushed by Henderson round the post for a corner. Adie Williams rose to meet Wise's flag kick and the ball did come off Paul McShane who for my money was Brighton's best player, but Mr Rennie was having none of it and gave another corner.
This time,Henderson flapped at Wise's kick but recovered to catch a header from Stern John.
With seconds remaining,Andy Impey picked up his appearance fee when he replaced Dennis Wise whose contribution earned him another standing ovation.
Now Uriah Rennie had been as good as gold all game letting the play flow and letting the players be the centre of attention. In the second minute of stoppage time,Stern John went down inside the area, and Mr Rennie produced his first yellow card in the face of the Trinidadian. It was a foolish thing to do as this was John's fifth card and he'll now serve a one game suspension.
The win see City rise to eleventh, their highest placing for sixteen long months.
HT CCFC 1-0 BHAFC
FT CCFC 2-0 BHAFC
ATT 20,541
Goals Dennis Wise (42,68)
Booked Stern John (92)
TEAM
Fulop,Whing,Hall,Page,Williams,Doyle,Adebola (Hutchison 69),McSheffrey (Morrell 29),Scowcroft,John,Wise (Impey 90).
SNU Ince,Shaw
Brighton
Henderson,Hart,Hammond,Carpenter,Butters,
Carole,Frutos (Kazim-Richards 69), El-Abd, Robinson (McPhee 70),McShane,Lynch.
SNU Martin,Reid,Hinshelwood