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Hard earned win for Sky Blues
10 Aug 2002 18:21
The Sky Blues battled their way to an opening day victory against Sheffield United at Highfield Road today. With Gary McAllister announcing earlier in the week that he would be looking to get City playing the passing game, Neil Warnock’s team came with the clear intention of not allowing City to do that.
Coventry started the brighter of the two sides, and were able to play the ball about in the opening exchanges. The first chance of the game fell to Youssef Chippo after just two minutes but his 20 yard effort was easily gathered by Blades keeper, Paddy Kenny. .
Any doubts about McAllister as a player at the age of 37 were quickly dispelled, and it did not take long for him to stamp his authority in midfield, where he won a lot of loose ball. City were giving United no time on the ball and a noisy crowd were clearly enjoying what they were seeing.
The movement between strikers Julian Joachim and Jay Bothroyd was superb with the bigger of the two men getting some good flicks as City tried to exploit Joachim’s pace. Just as City appeared to be settling into the game Blades put together some good moves of their own.
Coventry’s centre back pairing of Mo Konjic and Calum Davenport were having no trouble clearing Blades crosses but on 13 minutes Carl Asaba produced a 25 yard thunderbolt that they could do nothing about, and it whistled past Morten Hyldgaard’s outstretched arms.
With the Sky Blue faithful silenced by the breakaway goal, City rallied and mounted the pressure once again, and it was just three minutes until the game was all square. A McAllister cross glanced off Bothroyd’s header which sneaked inside the near post. Three United players tried in vain to keep the ball out but the assistant referee did not delay in signalling the ball had crossed the line. The decision riled the United players, fans and management but the goal stood and City were back in business.
Just prior to the equaliser there was some bad news for City as the unlucky Laurent Delorge was stretchered off after collecting a nasty cut. He was replaced by Gary McSheffrey who soon settled into a game moving at a frenetic pace.
City continued to string a series of good moves together with Julian Joachim looking like the player he was before his injury troubles. The diminutive striker went on a 30 yard run but there was nobody on the end of his dangerous centre. Coventry were clearly turning the screw and won a succession of corners that McAllister whipped in, looking for either of the big centre backs.
United were clearly struggling to keep City at bay with Kozluk and Ullathorne both receiving bookings, and then with just 5 minutes left till half time McSheffrey put Coventry ahead with a moment of brilliance. The youngster collected a chipped ball from Dean Gordon just inside the penalty area, weaved through the United defence and smashed the ball into the far corner of the net. It was just the tonic City needed before the interval, as United had increasingly frustrated Sky Blue attempts to play passing football.
The second half began in much the same way as the first with City passing the ball about well. Chippo showed some lovely skill on the right to release Joachim but his scuffed shot was easily saved. Then on 52 minutes Carl Asaba produced another moment of magic. His volley on the turn from 25 yards whistled past Hyldgaard but on this occasion the ball hit the inside of the post and rebounded clear.
The ex-Gillingham man looked by far the most likely to unlock City’s defence as United mounted attack after attack. Hyldgaard saved well from ex-City man Ndlovu on 51 minutes as the Jamiacan weaved his way through the Coventry rear guard. With United launching an assault on the Coventry goal at every opportunity it was the centre backs who turned in the most impressive displays.
Calum Davenport looked accomplished alongside Konjic, playing with style and authority that belied his youth. City were still intent on scoring a third and Konjic came close on 64 minutes but his header just evaded the near post by inches. United’s attacks were generally scrappy, and on 69 minutes Asaba once again teased the city defence but amongst the mêlée the ball was cleared.
Hyldgaard found himself coming for more and more balls but the Dane often opted to punch rather than catch the ball, placing more pressure on the City defence. Lee Mills replaced Bothroyd with 20 minutes remaining and nearly broke through straight away, with his first touch forcing a City corner. The crowd were on their feet two minutes later when Dean Gordon looked to have given Coventry a 3-1 lead but his powerful shot rippled along the side netting.
Mo Konjic soon followed that with one of his marauding runs forward and it was encouraging to see three defenders in a Sky Blue shirt with clear attacking intentions. The game inevitably got fraught as the clock ticked away and Chippo was booked for a minor scuffle with Blades full back Rob Ullathorne.
With ten minutes to go Paul Peschisolido- recently returned form injury- was brought on to liven things up. The winger added yet more spice to the Blades attack but Coventry continued to block United out. The referee became more involved in the last ten minutes, awarding a series of free kicks to United to the dismay of the City fans.
Calum Davenport was yellow carded for handball and McSheffrey was booked for dissent late in the game as Coventry battled to defend their lead. United fans will feel hard done by to come away without a point although Coventry fans will surely be delighted with the defensive display. There were some nail biting moments to endure in the final minutes, not least in the ninetieth minute, when keeper Paddy Kenny joined the attack.
Kenny picked the ball up on half way and launched a high ball forward. A moment of hesitation in the Coventry defence gave Shaun Murphy a sniff of a chance, and with Hyldgaard stranded the ball looped goalwards but was shepherded away by a combination of Konjic and Davenport. Three minutes of stoppage time passed by agonisingly slowly but Coventry soaked up all that United could offer. The final whistle came as a welcome relief after a second half dominated by Blades. Not a classic display, but a hard earned three points for the Sky Blues.
After the game Gary McAllister was delighted with the three points and saw that there were a lot of positives to be taken from the game.
“Fans come here to watch us win and that is what we have done. I could not have asked for more from the boys. I am disappointed that we did not get to play some more football, but we were looking to try and get forward as much as possible. I think all our players did well, especially young Calum Davenport who was superb. The whole team defended well, which is encouraging.
“It is a major plus to come from a goal behind as well. There was some controversy about our first but it looked a goal from where I was standing and the assistant referee gave it straight away. Then young Gary scored the sort of wonder goal that only he can. He still had a lot to do but you cannot teach the sort of touch and finish he has. It was a wonderful goal.
“ I am very happy to get the first three points on the board and am looking forward to Brighton on Tuesday. We will have Safri and Thompson back in contention and will be going down there to hopefully get another three points.”
Blades boss, Neil Warnock, was equally impressed with his side’s display but not so the result. He thinks it is time that cameras are introduced to make the final decision on goals like Coventry’s first
“We played well today and I am disappointed we did not get anything from the game. I don’t know how that goal can be given when there are three players between the ball and the linesman. It is ridiculous because we have the technology to sort things like this out. If it was a goal then fair enough, but I don’t know how he could be so certain. It’s time we used technology to sort these things out once and for all.
“I’d rather have the points than the knowledge we played well. But that’s football. Good luck to Gary. He played well today and I hope he goes on to be a great manager. It’ll be tough but I hope he does it.”
Meanwhile SKy Blues skipper, John Eustace, pulled no punches and will be looking for a better performance than this afternoon’s next time out.
“I am not generally happy with the way we played today. The midfield did not get too much of the ball but we all stuck together and battled well. It is nice to come from a goal behind and we deserved three points but I feel there is still a lot more to come from this team.”
Coventry City
Hyldgaard; Gordon; Konjic; Shaw; Eustace; Joachim, McAllister; Chippo (Quinn 83); Bothroyd (Mills 71); Delorge (McSheffrey 15); Davenport
Sheffield United
Kenny; Ullathorne; Yates; Murphy; Page (Kozluk 21); Brown; Asaba; Ndlovu; Jagielka; Tonge (Pescisolido 81); Onuora (Allison 77)
Referee
Mr Phil Dowd
Assistant Referees
Mr Paul Vosper
Mr Ceri Richards
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