COVENTRY UNITED 0-3 LEICESTER ROAD: light-hearted report by THE MOWDOG...

United Cage Left Wide Open For Leicester Roadies…

Coventry United 0-3 Leicester Road

Leicester must have arrived at the New Cage with real intent. Hurting from their late, if deserved defeat at the feet of Coventry on Bank Holiday Monday, their work ethic and collective resolve won this match and United will have no complaints, except about one incredible and bizarre piece of refereeing, which allowed the guests to slip into a 0-2 lead, when Coventry were looking more and more likely to equalise. However, the Leicester defence held firm, striker James Hicks provided the offensive outlet and United, looking somewhat ragged at times, but also reminiscent of a patched-up jalopy, trundling along expecting the right outcome to be achieved eventually, finally dropped their first points of the season. A late dismissal for replacement ‘keeper Joe Connor, not quite yet retired with pipe in mouth and slipper-clad feet warming before a roaring fire, after he tripped the surging Callum O’Sullivan, allowed Jake Holt to settle the proceedings with a penalty. Missing goalie Rich Morris and having no ‘keeper on the bench left Coventry in a hole but with Martin Hutchcox, Leon Kelly and in-form striker Ross Briscoe all unavailable too, Brian Ndlovu on the bench but still not quite fit and the very unfortunate Charlie Cook serving a suspension because the club’s appeal against his recent sending-off hadn’t been heard, due incredibly to a League official being on holiday, Leicester Road were in a good place to cause a bit of an upset. They did… 

A SCORE TO SETTLE...

Fair play to Coventry manager Edwin Greaves, who insisted on a post-match video interview despite the loss, but I was perturbed by the Leicester manager’s comments to me about social media being, let’s say, unworthy… I told him that some people think my blog is OK… Hmm. I hope he gets to see it. And likes it… He did thank me for introducing myself, however… 

Coventry, less than organised in midfield, looking so like they needed a go-to playmaker, a passer, in front of the defence, like Hosein Khorrami, perhaps, were also lacking a talisman attacker like Leicester’s Hicks, but worked the usual offensive route that is Josh O’Grady. Yet too often his shots were wayward, as main striker Josh Blake found creating any room at all nigh on impossible, with Connoll Farrell, apart from a couple of first-half sprints, again rarely a threat. It seemed sensible for Farrell to work the opposite flank, maybe, for Leicester’s right-back Lloyd Gamble was a rock and gave the Coventry wide-man little scope. Maybe Farrell’s cutting-inside skills would have offered a different threat but Leicester were content with their lot and should have added to their score late on. When Coventry went to a back-three, Pierre Moudime, the one real running threat on the right flank, was sacrificed for Muzzy Nduna, whose wing-play was ineffective, well actually non-existent. Gift Mussa never really stopped working for the hosts, nor Dakouri, to be fair, but skipper Chris Cox will rue two early misses in front of the Leicester goal, playing in an advanced midfield role, which didn't appear to be a successful ruse on the day.  

HOW THE VICTORIAN ROYAL ENGINEERS' TEAM LINED UP FOR THEIR TEAM PHOTO...

An early O’Grady drive struck Leicester’s Jack Harrison hard but then a couple of runs by Farrell flattered to deceive, for he was starved of possession from then on, with Coventry’s midfielders seemingly hypnotised to go right. A foul on Mussa was seen and ignored by the slightly awry referee but after Leicester’s noisy one-man-choir fetched the ball for his team to take a right-side throw, United’s defence was as switched on as a light-bulb in a power-cut. Hicks moved inside, tracked by Jamie Coleman and pushed a neat pass into the penalty-box, towards the near post area, visiting midfielder Tom McGlinchey jogged into it, leaving Moudime staring and Callum Burgess glaring as he did so and the Leicester man slipped the ball neatly past Connor into the bottom right corner of the net. Oops…

A SPOT OF TENPIN BOWLING AND THE FAN CLAIMS AN ASSIST FOR THE OPENING GOAL...

ROADIES 0-1 UP ON THE ROAD...

The Cagemen, too often toothless on the day, did bring a good save out of Will Highland, when a pass from O’Grady opened up a space at inside-right for Moudime to run into and his rising drive was tipped over the crossbar at the near post by the ‘keeper. United battled back into the game with a corner by O’Grady which Highland dropped but Cox was unable to react sharply enough in the 6 yard box. Farrell drove well over the goal-frame, following a combination between O’Grady and Blake, then Farrell lost control of the ball in attack before Highland completely missed a free-kick delivery by O’Grady from the right but there was no challenge of any sort from any player wearing red. Highland then flapped at another right-side centre, but the ball bounced against Cox, who was unable to get any purchase on the ball, just 3 yards out. Connor beat away a near post cross by Amarvir Sandhu, then both sides went close to scoring and in truth, both teams really should have netted…

HIGHLAND STRUGGLES...

A Leicester defender missed yet another O’Grady cross, Farrell’s miscued kick from the left byeline flew straight to Cox but the skipper was unable to strike his shot firmly from 4 yards out and Highland gratefully clutched the ball up to his left. A long Leicester clearance then saw Connor move to the edge of the 18 yard box to boot the ball clear but he got himself into a real tangle and Hicks took possession, only to toe-end the ball into the near side-netting from inside-left, when maybe a left-footer would have brought a goal. Connor then sliced his goal-kick off the pitch, right-side.

COVENTRY CHANGE DIRECTION FROM RIGHT TO, ER, RIGHT...

THE LEAPING COX AND HOLT...

A fine run by Farrell on the left brought a corner for the hosts, O’Grady’s flag-kick caused mayhem with Cox challenging but Coleman’s falling header bounced well wide of the left upright. After Sandhu, unmarked like he had been at his own ground a couple of weeks back, headed a Harrison centre over an angle of bar and post, Ben Vallance switched play to where else but the right for Coventry, O’Grady chested the ball down and his 25 yard shot bounced wide of the right stick. Farrell also fed O’Grady on the right, Jean Dakouri received a pass from Moudime but the midfielder lifted his shot way over the target. O’Grady tumbled in his own unique manner, under a tackle, won a free-kick on the right but his attempt to catch Highland unawares back-fired: Highland WAS aware, collecting the low shot at his left post. Mussa did so well to out-muscle McGlinchey in midfield but again O’Grady’s shooting was off target, as he fired a low 20 yarder again past the right post. 

GIFT MUSSA'S FACE SAYS IT ALL...

"OUI, MONSIEUR, IF YOUR SHORTS FALL DOWN, YOU 'AVE MY PERMISSION TO PULL 'EM UP..."

The interval reached, United had certainly been offered, yet fluffed, more chances than their guests and this would continue after the break, when a couple of shots by The Cagemen were blocked by a massed Roadie defence but Burgess was correctly cautioned for hauling down Sandhu as the winger raced through the middle. Substitute Callum O’Sullivan, on for the injured Joe Lyne, drove a 24 yard effort, which clipped the outside of the left post but poor Roadie defending led to Vallance’s cross being nodded straight to Dakouri, whose awful, leaning-back right-footer rose a good distance over the goal-frame from 16 yards. O’Grady’s cross from the left drifted past everyone, before he took a pass from a short corner and his clipped centre was headed over his own bar by a Leicester defender. Cox challenged for the ensuing corner but eventually Highland claimed the ball.

Dakouri nodded poorly and wide of the right upright, after a corner had been headed across the goal-face towards him and after Dakouri’s pass found him 23 yards out, O’Grady curled yet another, better effort just past the right angle of bar and upright. A Moudime pass across goal was fallen upon by Highland but Coventry escaped punishment when Connor could only nudge a right-flank delivery onto his crossbar, O’Sullivan smashed an angled shot straight at Moudime at the near post, an effort which struck the defender’s arms, as he attempted to protect other, more sensitive parts of his torso but Connor got down to cradle to the rebound, a shot from 18 yards by Callum Riley. Coventry’s re-organised back-three of Burgess, Cox and Coleman left Vallance and Moudime to exploit the wings but before anything could be achieved, Nduna replaced Moudime, puzzlingly. Sam Munton replaced Harrison for Leicester, adding some liveliness, as Sandhu dropped back to cover the threat of O’Grady.

Visiting skipper and controller Greg Downes drove a free-kick way too high from 24 yards but United nearly suffered from typically lax marking, as Hicks broke forth into the inside-right position but he pulled his low shot across goal and past the far post. Goal two was an interesting item… Dakouri fouled an opponent in midfield, wildly, and the referee awarded the free-kick; the game stopped as the official reached into his pocket for a yellow card but Leicester, for some reason, pushed a short pass forward for Hicks to run clear, round Connor and find the net. Obviously, with the linesman concerned with his ‘senior’ official’s punishment for Dakouri, he missed that Hicks was offside anyway, something noted by the Leicester contingent, with wry smiles. The referee gave the goal, incredibly… But at least Dakouri avoided a fine for a booking. I was not videoing, obviously, so apologies to James Hicks!

A FAN SEEMS CONFUSED THAT MUZZY IS A RIGHT-WINGER TODAY...

OMG, IT WORKED!

HOW TO PREVENT AN OPPOSITION PLAYER FROM BEING YELLOW-CARDED...

O’Grady’s far post header from Farrell’s cross struck Sandhu, Tricky’s trademark sack-of-spuds tumble rightly deserved no penalty and then United’s leaky defence allowed Hicks to put O’Sullivan away at inside-right, Connor raced out, clipped the substitute and was red-carded, allowing Jake Holt to tuck his low penalty into the bottom left corner of the net, past replacement goalie Sleiman Mbarouk, who dived the wrong way. He had earlier relieved Coleman as an outfielder, Coler still feeling sore no doubt from having the Statue of Liberty tattooed onto his ribs. It’s what he does… 

JEAN PLEADS, BUT JOE IS OFF...

0-3 NOW...

The very disgruntled Cox was also replaced by Edmund Okolie, who was now part of a back-line which read Burgess, Okolie and the reliable, resilient and highly rated Vallance… O’Grady’s clever pass for Farrell at inside-left saw Highland save at the winger’s feet near the left upright but when the ball squirmed away and Nduna buried it, a linesman’s flag was signalling offside, but I’m unsure against whom… It remained only for Leicester to squander two late chances, with Coventry’s players looking like they needed introducing to one other. First Hicks got clear, embarrassingly nutmegged Okolie at the 18 yard line but he seemed to take an age to slip his low shot under Mbarouk, who turned, ran and scooped the ball away from the goal-line but it really appeared from the sideline that the ball had crossed into goal… Perhaps the linesman was attempting to even up the earlier official error? Who knows?

Finally, Mussa and Nduna messed up a simple one-two and McGlinchey was freed at inside-right, as the Coventry marking was reduced to that of Victorian hod-carriers but the midfielder’s attempted chip was slightly miscued and the ball rose well over the crossbar. 

Coventry had been unable to raise their game, or cover for missing players, or even change their approach to threaten a hard-working opposition but Leicester will relish the victory, with Gamble, Josh Smith and Holt so powerful in defending, Sandhu such a useful ball-carrier but possessing Hicks, whose overall contribution to this game was quite awesome in attack. Luke Kingsley-Smith also looked lively as a second period replacement but nothing was going to prevent the Roadies from this payback victory. United’s game seems to have become less expansive, attacking predominantly through O’Grady’s ability but with Blake having to contend with big defenders every game, the two of them cannot cover all options and Farrell surely needs more involvement, Briscoe needs to start each game and Cook’s skills need to be imported into a more varied attacking style… 

Me? Well, chicken goujons and chips, then Barcelona’s fine win at Athletico Madrid… What else?

‘Crackerjack’ was a kids’ TV programme from the 1950s/‘60s and kids answered questions, standing on rostrums. Each incorrect answer was rewarded with a cabbage to hold, whereas correct replies were rewarded with prizes, also to hold onto, until the contestants were under some strain. Coventry United today were like those kids weighed down with cabbages, the burden of being unbeaten…

TEAMS:

COVENTRY UNITED:

Joe Connor, Pierre Moudime, Ben Vallance, Gift Mussa, Jamie Coleman, Callum Burgess, Josh O’Grady, Jean Daouri, Josh Blake, Chris Cox (Capt), Connoll Farrell.

SUBS:

Muzzy Nduna, Sleiman Mbarouk, Brian Ndlovu, Edmund Okolie, Hosein Khorrami.

LEICESTER ROAD:

Will Highland, Lloyd Gamble, Jack Harrison, Jake Holt, Josh Smith, Callum Riley, Joe Lyne, Tom McGlinchey, James Hicks, Greg Downes (Capt), Amarvir Sandhu.

SUBS:

James Awodiya, Sam Munton, Luke Kingsley-Smith, Callum O’Sullivan, Ricky Blewitt.