COVENTRY CITY 1-1 LEICESTER CITY BY KEV MONKS
Date 11/09/10 At The Ricoh Arena
Team
Westwood,Keogh, Turner, Wood, Clarke, McSheffrey (McIndoe 35), Clingan, Carsley, Ward, (Gunnarsson 67) Jutkiewicz (Doyle 76), Platt SNU Ireland, O'Donovan, Cameron, Bottomer
Leicester
Ikeme, Neilson, Morrison, Oakley, King, Dyer (N'Guessen 80), Fryatt (Howard 80), Waghorn (Gallagher 73), Berner, Wellens, Hobbs,
SNU Logan, Moreno, Kennedy, Moussa
HT CCFC 1-0 LCFC FT CCFC 1-1 LCFC ATT 20,060
Referee A.Taylor Booked McIndoe, Carsley, Doyle, Wellens
Goals Clive Platt (39), Andy King (75)
Man Of The Match Clive Platt took the votes
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If Leicester City could finish, Coventry City would have been well beaten but the M69 derby at the Ricoh Arena finished in a 1-1 draw.
City supporters from Ireland, Northern Ireland, South Wales, Kent, London and all places in-between were at the Ricoh Arena for a lunchtime kick off to see Aidy Boothroyd name a team that had five changes from the team that had lost at Millwall.
With the Marlon King saga now reaching complete levels of boredom, Danny Ward who did sign in the week on loan from Bolton started along with fit again Lukas Jutkiewicz. Jordan Clarke came into the back four along with Ben Turner, whilst the well-cheered Keiren Westwood was back in goal. Luke Bottomer who had been excellent for City U18's v Chelsea last Saturday was on the bench.
As the rain came down, City attacked the CT in the first half but it was Leicester, who had all the opening corners. Their fourth came in the 14th minute and was cleared for a throw-in to give Leicester the possession back.
"Come On City" was the cry from the Sky Blue support with the scoreboard block in good voice, but it was not until the 17th minute that the Sky Blues had their first shot on goal when Lukas Jutkiewicz went wide.
Richard Wood headed wide from a Clingan corner but with City's midfield virtually non-existent at times, Leicester were able to play the balls they wanted to.
Clive Platt again worked well as a target man whilst Ward, who the last time I saw him play for Swindon at Millwall was on the left, looked useful on the right.
In the 32nd minute, former City loanee Lloyd Dyer lived up to his name with a woeful shot wide before Matty Fryatt, who has been linked with interest from Derby flashed over the bar.
Three minutes later, Aidy Boothroyd was forced into a change when Gary McSheffrey went off and was replaced by Michael McIndoe.
The Scot, who had a pretty good game, had been on the pitch for four minutes when he was involved in the move that saw the ball come over to Clive Platt and the striker made no mistake rising in the air to firmly head City ahead.
The goal was duly celebrated but more chances for Leicester followed including a penalty appeal following a Jordan Clarke handball.
The sun was shining brightly for the start of the second half that saw Westwood deny Waghorn early on.
City's tendency to stand off and let Leicester play worringly continued and led to most of the home support joining in a chorus of the Sky Blue song and Sky Blue Army chants to try and encourage the Sky Blues to be more positive in going forward before Westwood had to tip over from Dyer on the hour mark.
Sensing that the Sky Blues were pretty much clueless, other than the hoof it up to Platt option, Leicester upped their game. Waghorn hit Westwood's left hand post with a 65th minute header seconds before Westwood had to make a terrific diving save.
Boothroyd opted to send on Aron Gunnarsson for Danny Ward, who showed some promise on his debut whilst Paulo Sousa took off
Leicester's best player in Waghorn.
As City were still organising themselves, a lapse in defence led to the visitors drawing level in the 75th minute when the City defence stood and watched, Dyer find Andy King who flicked the ball over Westwood and into the net.
Michael Doyle was the third City player brought on and he had been on the pitch for less than a minute when he was involved in a bit of handbags that saw him and Wellens shown yellow cards by referee Mr Taylor.
City found themselves hanging on at the end and were booed off by sections of the disgruntled support.