COVENTRY UNITED 0-0 LEICESTER ROAD: light-hearted match report by THE MOWDOG...

No Goals As Coventry Vacate The Cage 

Coventry United 0-0 Leicester Road

Determined to end their fine season without a home defeat, Coventry somehow had to manage without the services of leading scorers Josh Blake and Dan Stokes, their swashbuckling skipper Chris Cox, main ‘keeper Joe Connor, the enigmatic, if unrelated to me match-winner Tommie Maguire, midfielder Andy Woodall, defenders Martin Hutchcox and Rob Whailing, plus promising attacker Gilbert Kugbe-Dzisam. A long list, but United certainly lacked pace on offense to worry the powerful and able Marco Henry and Josh Smith, they failed to mark the excellent Leicester midfielders Sam Munton and Jake Holt well enough and seemed too bent on taking short corners, when Leon Kelly’s heading ability looked a likely outlet for high deliveries. Often getting themselves into trouble from ‘keeper Mitch Campbell’s short passes to Ben Vallance and skipper Kobe ‘Rather Unkool-On-the-Day’ Ntim, United were fortunate that Leicester’s finishing was as tame as their own and thus the point they sought was just about secured. Early corner threats by Coventry at each end of the first period were nullified by Leicester’s thoughtful passing in between and it needed two last gasp challenges to prevent the hosts from going behind. Fortunately though, when Patrick Suffo was substituted, his replacement from the Reserve team, Dan Lucas, improved the leakage through midfield and United again attacked as the game drew to a close. Good battling work by Rob Prinzel in midfield was offset by a lack of cohesion there, too often leaving Munton and Holt working in acres of room. Gift Mussa, Josh O’Grady and Ben Vallance, who was too often worried by Leicester winger Jordan Ponticelli, didn’t have their best games for ‘The Cage’, which hopefully will become the club’s new nickname, but the elastic Ntim, who endured a mixed bag of a game, was brilliantly supported and covered by the leader of the Coventry team on the day, Jamie Coleman.

Prinzel (right) wears two pairs of boots...

United attacked at the onset, probably irritated into action by the loud mouth of the veteran Leicester fan on the sideline, but the inconsistent Pierre Moudime could only win a throw. Campbell’s short defensive pass to Vallance caused the defender to rush and resulted in a partial block by an opponent and thus Coleman was forced into the same evasive action to clear the ball. A neat Suffo flick led to Brian Ndlovu being fouled just outside the penalty-box, about 6 yards from the byeline, even though Ndlovu’s pancake dive ended three yards INSIDE the penalty-area. O’Grady’s free-kick was touched on by goalie Will Highland and Henry nodded the ball out for a corner on the left. Prinzel hovered 20 yards out, all alone and sure enough, O’Grady’s flag-kick picked him out but the ensuing shot was too easily blocked by Leicester. Mussa, constantly surrounded by tacklers during this encounter, was fouled but O’Grady and Moudime worked a short free-kick, before O’Grady cut inside from the right to shoot and he muffed the chance badly wide of the near upright.

Sam Munton: a decent game for Leicester...

A left-side centre from United was fumbled by Highland but Kelly was unable to capitalise, then Mussa’s strike was deflected for another corner. This led to a second flag-kick on the right, which was again wasted, for O’Grady took it short to Moudime, whose centre drifted behind the goal-frame. O’Grady was displeased with a referee’s decision and Ntim was called forth to share the official’s headmaster-like wrath, but I wondered whether the referee wasn’t happy with the bearded-one’s newly non-bearded appearance… From the ensuing free-kick, Leicester might have scored, for Holt badgered the home defence with a shot, which was blocked, then his follow-up, which was saved low by Campbell, was spilled to Amarvir Sandhu, who was only denied a goal by a timely slide and interception on his goal-line by Coleman. Visiting defender Smith needed lengthy attention, Kelly was unable to fasten onto Suffo’s dummy, before a fine pass by small, lively visiting attacker Nathan McGarrity, inside the turning Vallance, for Jordan Ponticelli (which is an area just outside Naples) led to the winger’s drive rising off target from the right side of the 18 yard area.

Ned Kelly attempts to use the ball as a helmet...

Another Suffo flick looked good but wasn’t productive, then Ndlovu stumbled upon a rare error by Leicester right-back Callum Riley, but drove a 27 yard volley straight into Highland’s arms. Another smart pass, over Vallance, led to a Ponticelli run but after Mussa had headed upwards, he won a free-kick, as the guests looked dangerous but fouled him. Ponticelli then fed McGarrity for a low shot, which Coleman blocked bravely, before finally Coventry looked creative and Suffo fed O’Grady on the right, Moudime took over but his centre flicked off Kingston-Smith’s head to Highland. A short corner by the visitors led to a second chaotic moment in the Coventry goalmouth, for although Leicester’s short corner was cleared by Ndlovu, McGarrity was involved and the influential Munton tricked his way to the right byeline, near the upright, beat Campbell with his pass but as Sandhu challenged, Moudime and Coleman dropped to the ground to smother the ball and Campbell leaned over the trio to pluck up the ball like he had just found a hidden Easter egg at the local farmers’ market.

Prinzel then lost his temper with his colleagues, understandably, for as Campbell prepared to release the ball, all of the Leicester midfielders had dropped back to receive the kick, whereas the home midfielders were intermingled with their defenders, around 20 yards from goal, in total disarray. Kelly won a flick-on towards O’Grady at inside-right but the playmaker again bodged his low left-footed shot, dragging it well wide of the near post from a promising position. O’Grady’s next LONG corner was volleyed way over the goal-frame by Ndlovu, which is maybe why the team had favoured short corners, before United’s defence was again disordered, yet survived. Suffo and Kelly, combined ages 367, failed to connect for most of the game and one decent head-on by Kelly ended in space, with no home player in any kind of position to support the tall striker’s efforts. A bad challenge by Kingsley-Smith on the luckless Moudime left the right-back needing lengthy attention, Suffo and Ndlovu combined but Mussa’s 26 yard sliced shot from inside-left ended possibly 30 yards past the right upright. 

Guess I couldn't expect a smile from the hurt Pierre Moudime...
No change there, then...

McGarrity fastened onto a Prinzel clearance but again shot at Campbell, then an O’Grady corner was headed goalwards and over Highland by the leaping salmon himself, Coleman, but defender Kingsley-Smith managed to hack the ball from his goal-line. Corners for Coventry ended the half with Highland touching a looping header over his crossbar although he might have caught the ball, in truth, before the final action occurred when Highland tipped a corner from O’Grady on the right straight to Ntim beyond the far stick, but he was unable to keep his header low enough. Half-time had arrived, the Leicester fan was still chanting, the sun still shone, the showers stayed away and as the home replacements warmed up, Martin Hutchcox commented “Skills…” as I left-footed a loose ball to him, replying, “You ain’t seen my right foot yet…”

The second period began with the visitors in the ascendancy and following a corner, Munton ran towards the left byeline, only to be well tackled by the brusque Scot Prinzel. Sandhu just couldn’t get a touch on the ball in front of goal, then Ntim conceded a corner, although his challenge was mighty close to being deemed a penalty. The ensuing corner took a strange bounce for Campbell to claim, before a Holt free-kick from 25 yards, inside-left, deflected off a Coventry head for another corner. Soon though, Ntim, unpredictable as ever, legs and arms akimbo, like he was wrestling erratically with a particularly awkward kangaroo, lost out to McGarrity at 18 yards but fortunately for the stumbling United skipper, McGarrity drove his shot into the grateful Campbell’s midriff. Coventry were being forced to attack hopefully on the break and Kelly, left-side, did  well to release Suffo with a chance to shoot but he perhaps felt his lack of pace would not allow the strike and his pass to Ndlovu was errant. Suffo couldn’t get his next pass to an unmarked O’Grady on the left, allowing Riley to intercept and although his kick was totally inaccurate, the ball looped up, bounced high and Campbell had to watch it closely as it veered near his right post.

Fisherman Josh O'Grady explains to his marker just how long his trout was...

Holt’s next shot was deflected to Campbell, before Suffo’s excellent pass saw Highland go lowland and dive at Kelly’s feet to prevent a goal. Ntim tackled Sandhu well, but it was a surprise that Munton was relieved of his duties, for he had been creative for the guests. The taller James Hicks replaced the willowy midfielder and made his presence felt at a corner, immediately. Kelly ran forwards on the right for Coventry and crossed really well onto O’Grady’s head but the attempt at goal was weak, allowing Highland an easy save. Suffo was having a strop and was called to the referee with Ntim but the Cameroonian wouldn’t shut up, so was cautioned. The official spoke to the United coaches about Suffo, possibly wanting an autograph, before Holt clipped a decent 27 yard free-kick not far over the home crossbar and Ndlovu did well to spoil a short Leicester corner and relieve some pressure. Holt, rather than his forwards, was actually shooting for goal and another 26 yarder on the run was held by Campbell, before Suffo was finally replaced by Dan Lucas, who dropped in deep, which appeared to solidify Coventry and allow a little more freedom for Prinzel, although Mussa was still battling bodies, unable to get clear much.

Ned Kelly does what Ned Kelly does...

Moudime was getting forward more though and on one occasion, when the ball wasn’t spurned by the attacking defender, Ndlovu was crowded out 15 yards from goal. Vallance and Mussa worked an opening for O’Grady, 25 yards out but again his trusty left foot failed him and his low drive squibbed past the right upright. A wild McGarrity shot rose way over the home crossbar, before the bothersome Hicks jumped with Coleman, who was left hurt on the ground, with colleagues suggesting a wayward elbow was the cause. The referee didn’t even see the challenge, 10 yards away but a linesman, 15 yards away, flagged. Again the referee chose to engage in words with the offending player’s coaching staff. All very odd. In pre-season games sometimes, the officials ask for a doomed player to be substituted, but this? All MOST odd… 

Jamie Coleman up...

...Jamie Coleman down...

Finally, Kingsley-Smith received a caution for a wild lunge on O’Grady, then O’Grady’s free-kick from the right was wasted by Coventry, after Highland had palmed it on. Kavanagh replaced the tiring, unhappy looking Ndlovu and soon, a low drive by Prinzel struck Highland’s feet, with Kavanagh in close attendance. Vallance drove poorly wide from 24 yards, Kavanagh, in an attacking left-wing position, somehow blundered the ball over the byeline, although on such a true surface, he was unable to blame a bobble. Finally, Campbell was baulked as he attempted to deal with a deep Holt free-kick but the referee surprisingly signalled a corner and in effect, that was that and Coventry had survived, despite possibly going closer to a goal after half-time, by playing on the counter-attack. 

Neither team deserved to win the game but I was disappointed that many players failed to utilise the lovely passing surface regularly enough, so much so that it was tough to realise how good it was. Visiting skipper Greg Downes, Holt and Munton had displayed discipline and creativity but Coventry’s midfielders had been like undisciplined individuals, thus leaving Kelly foraging alone for much of the match, with Suffo hidden just behind him but too often crowded out. O’Grady looked weary but the paradoxical, totally vexing Moudime could have won the game alone, with more steadiness and thought. McGarrity’s elusiveness was a threat for Leicester and I liked the fleet footwork of Sandhu but all in all, the visitors had lacked a clinical edge. 

I spent the evening at a wedding barbecue in Solihull but still returned home in time for the magical bowl of Weetabix, cuz that’s what I do…  

Teams:

Coventry United:  Mitch Campbell, Pierre Moudime, Ben Vallance; Rob Prinzel, Jamie Coleman, Kobe ‘Kool’ Ntim (Capt); Brian Ndlovu, Josh O’Grady, Patrick Suffo, Leon Kelly, Gift Mussa.

Subs: Martin Hutchcox, Dan Lucas, Nathan Ley, Sean Kavanagh, Joe Connor.

Leicester Road:  Will Highland, Callum Riley, Luke Kingsley-Smith; Jake Holt, Josh Smith, Marco Henry; Jordan Ponticelli, Greg Downes (Capt), Nathan McGarrity, Sam Munton, Amarvir Sandhu.

Subs: Jordan Mellon, James Hicks, Joe Lyne, James Hartland, Ken Hughes.