Coventry 0 Stoke 0 - 02/12/2006
Coventry 0 Stoke 0 - 02/12/2006
Coventry City: Andy Marshall, Marcus Hall, Clive Clarke, Richard Duffy, Elliott Ward, Robert Page, Dele Adebola, Colin Cameron (Stern John 66), Michael Doyle, Darren Currie, Leon McKenzie (Christopher Birchall 90)
Subs not used: Rafael, Adam Virgo, Mikkel Bischoff
Booked: Marcus Hall 77
Stoke City: Steve Simonsen, Michael Duberry, Danny Higginbotham, Carl Hoefkens, Andy Griffin, Patrik Berger (David Brammer 90), Darel Russell, Salif Diao, Lee Hendrie, Ricardo Fuller (Vincent Pericard 88), Mamady Sidibe
Subs not used: Clint Hill, Peter Sweeney, Lewis Buxton
Booked: Darel Russell 71
Attendance: 19073
Ref: N MIller
Teamtalk
Dele Adebola squandered the two best chances as the Sky Blues fought out a dire goalless draw with in-form Stoke at the Ricoh Arena.
After 18 minutes Adebola headed wide Leon McKenzie's cross when he was well placed and unmarked and in injury-time at the end of the first half, he could only head onto the bar from Darren Currie's ball in.
The visitors, who had won their previous five matches, were limited in attack but after the break a sixth consecutive clean sheet never looked in doubt.
The final quarter at last saw some urgency, with Stoke's Ricardo Fuller going close on a number of occasions, but a poor game finished goalless with the hosts making it four matches unbeaten.
For two sides in such good form it was flat opening from the off, although Stoke's Mamady Sidibe had a drive held by Andy Marshall and Fuller also forced an early save from the Sky Blues goalkeeper.
Coventry were struggling to make inroads and a poor McKenzie header from Currie's corner was all they had to show for the opening 17 minutes.
But a minute later, Richard Duffy played McKenzie through, with more than a hint of offside, and his cross from the right found his strike partner but Adebola, with goals in his previous two matches, nodded wide from 10 yards out.
Stoke's Lee Hendrie hooked a free-kick over from 20 yards and Fuller showed his class, with 27 minutes gone, surging past Marcus Hall and Michael Doyle only to be thwarted by a fine low stop from Marshall.
With Currie a constant threat, the Sky Blues finished the half strongly and Adebola hit the woodwork from a cross from the industrious winger.
The hosts maintained their ascendancy after the interval and Clive Clarke sliced wide from the edge of the area against his old club.
Salif Diao was having an impressive afternoon defensively and the on-loan Liverpool midfielder did well to turn away Colin Cameron's cross under his own bar.
The Potters finally produced some decent football and combination play between Fuller and Hendrie created space for Berger, whose strike was deflected wide.
And midway through the second period, Sidibe made a mess of a great opportunity after Andy Griffin and Hendrie linked, the big striker running too wide and causing Marshall few problems with a scuffed effort.
With 20 minutes left, the game seemed finally to have come to life and from a disputed corner, McKenzie was just blocked as the Potters cleared desperately.
A couple of minutes later, Hendrie drove through the Coventry midfield and Fuller's close-range shot was blocked wide.
Fuller then saw a curling effort palmed away by Marshall and the same player volleyed over from the subsequent corner.
Coventry substitute Stern John blasted well off target with a minute left and the game finished in stalemate.
CCFC
A game of few chances ends goalless but it was the Sky Blues who came closest to victory with Dele Adebola denied by the woodwork in the first half.
Micky Adams kept faith with the same players who had earned the Sky Blues four points from two tough away games against QPR and Preston.
Darren Currie was making his home debut and had an early opportunity to show the Sky Blue Army what his set piece deliveries are like with a free-kick in an attacking position but he failed to clear the first man.
Some uncharacteristically weak defending from Elliott Ward then allowed Mamady Sidibe to get the first shot on target in the fourth minute but his low shot from outside the box was easily gathered by Andy Marshall.
The game did not really get going for the first 15 as these two defensively strong outfits sounded each other out but in the 18th minute, City carved out a fine move which nearly brought about the opener. Leon McKenzie escaped down the left and pulled back a beautiful cross for the in-form Dele Adebola to run on to but he planted his firm header just wide of the post.
Stoke's top scorer Ricardo Fuller proved what a threat he is in the 27th minute with a weaving run from his own half which resulted in a low shot and superb stop from Marshall.
Currie's set piece deliveries improved dramatically after that first poor effort and with ten to go in the first half he sent in a perfect corner which McKenzie headed on target only to be denied by a fine point blank save by Potters keeper Steve Simonsen.
And right at the death another beautifully flighted cross from the on-loan winger found Adebola at the far post but his header back across goal rebounded off the inside of the opposite upright and out to safety.
City went into the interval knowing that they could well be at least one goal clear and with no dramatic action in the opening stages of the second period the fans were calling for the introduction of Stern John to add some fresh impetus to the Sky Blues' attack.
They got their wish in the 65th minute when the Trinidad and Tobago international replaced Colin Cameron. John joined Adebola in attack while McKenzie dropped to the left hand side of midfield with Currie switching to the right.
The new introduction was nearly played through on goal not long after entering the fray but Simonsen was quick to come out his box and clear. At the other end it took a superb last ditch challenge from Ward to deny Fuller as it became increasingly apparent that this was a game likely to be settled by a solitary goal.
Towards the end Tony Pulis introduced Vincent Pericard who scored a hat-trick against City for Plymouth last season.
4thegame
Stoke City's miserly defence continued its mean streak as the away side set a new club record by keeping a clean sheet for the sixth consecutive game.
The Potteries side failed to chalk up their sixth consecutive win but will be satisfied with a point in a tight game.
In an entertaining match, Coventry shaded the first half with Stoke on top of the second and both sides were happy to settle for a point at the end.
In a tight start, it was Stoke that had the first chance of the match as Coventry's Elliott Ward made a hash of a clearance in the fourth minute.
It was intercepted by Mamady Sidibe whose shot from the edge of the area brought a smart save down to keeper Andy Marshall's left.
Coventry's first real effort didn't come until the 17th minute as Leon McKenzie rose to head Darren Currie's corner just over.
The chance sparked the Sky Blues into life as, a minute later, McKenzie broke down the right before cutting in and supplying a lovely flighted cross to Dele Adebola, but the in-form striker powered his header narrowly wide.
Stoke gradually started to show why they were in such good form going into the game as they started to take a stranglehold in midfield, although they created little.
But it almost paid off as Carl Hoefkens robbed Clive Clarke in midfield and released Ricardo Fuller. The Jamaican ran 20 yards, shrugged off the challenge of Marcus Hall, but Marshall saved the shot at the second attempt.
Coventry finished the first half on top and almost snatched the lead in stoppage time. On-loan Currie, playing wide on the left and causing Hoefkens constant problems, supplied another delightful in-swinging cross that Adebola met, but his header hit the inside of the post before coming back into play.
The second half started as tight as the first had been with both sides struggling to gain the upper-hand.
Colin Cameron was released on the right in the 58th minute before delivering a wicked cross which Salif Diao did well to head clear under pressure from McKenzie.
A minute later Stoke almost took the lead from an unlikely source as Hall, in tackling Fuller, saw the ball loop just over his own crossbar.
Stoke enjoyed a spell of pressure as Fuller released Sidibe who was one-on-one with the keeper but the 26-year-old's shot was parried by Marshall.
From the resulting corner, Patrik Berger's pile-driver was desperately cleared by Hall virtually off the line.
Fuller's lovely curling shot from the edge of the area was desperately tipped around the post by Marshall as Stoke started to sense victory.
Coventry brought on Stern John and Stoke introduced Vincent Pericard in a bid to win the game but the match eventually ended all-square.
Sky Blues Micky Adams said after the stalemate: "That was probably a fair result. I think they are the form team in this league and we've had to stand our corner at times and we've done that again today.
"I was delighted with the first-half performance rather than our second-half showing but I'm pleased with a point.
"Their defensive record speaks for itself and we don't give away many here so you could say the game was a 0-0 banker." Potters boss Tony Pulis said: "It's a great defensive record and, when you look at the attacking players we have in the team, it's an even bigger achievement for my defence, goalkeeper and central midfielders.
"We have got a good run going and maybe we'll have to look at strengthening when the window opens.
"At any time I could get a call to say that the loan players have got to go back. But I cannot spend my time worrying about things I cannot control."
Coventry City: Andy Marshall, Marcus Hall, Clive Clarke, Richard Duffy, Elliott Ward, Robert Page, Dele Adebola, Colin Cameron (Stern John 66), Michael Doyle, Darren Currie, Leon McKenzie (Christopher Birchall 90)
Subs not used: Rafael, Adam Virgo, Mikkel Bischoff
Booked: Marcus Hall 77
Stoke City: Steve Simonsen, Michael Duberry, Danny Higginbotham, Carl Hoefkens, Andy Griffin, Patrik Berger (David Brammer 90), Darel Russell, Salif Diao, Lee Hendrie, Ricardo Fuller (Vincent Pericard 88), Mamady Sidibe
Subs not used: Clint Hill, Peter Sweeney, Lewis Buxton
Booked: Darel Russell 71
Attendance: 19073
Ref: N MIller
Teamtalk
Dele Adebola squandered the two best chances as the Sky Blues fought out a dire goalless draw with in-form Stoke at the Ricoh Arena.
After 18 minutes Adebola headed wide Leon McKenzie's cross when he was well placed and unmarked and in injury-time at the end of the first half, he could only head onto the bar from Darren Currie's ball in.
The visitors, who had won their previous five matches, were limited in attack but after the break a sixth consecutive clean sheet never looked in doubt.
The final quarter at last saw some urgency, with Stoke's Ricardo Fuller going close on a number of occasions, but a poor game finished goalless with the hosts making it four matches unbeaten.
For two sides in such good form it was flat opening from the off, although Stoke's Mamady Sidibe had a drive held by Andy Marshall and Fuller also forced an early save from the Sky Blues goalkeeper.
Coventry were struggling to make inroads and a poor McKenzie header from Currie's corner was all they had to show for the opening 17 minutes.
But a minute later, Richard Duffy played McKenzie through, with more than a hint of offside, and his cross from the right found his strike partner but Adebola, with goals in his previous two matches, nodded wide from 10 yards out.
Stoke's Lee Hendrie hooked a free-kick over from 20 yards and Fuller showed his class, with 27 minutes gone, surging past Marcus Hall and Michael Doyle only to be thwarted by a fine low stop from Marshall.
With Currie a constant threat, the Sky Blues finished the half strongly and Adebola hit the woodwork from a cross from the industrious winger.
The hosts maintained their ascendancy after the interval and Clive Clarke sliced wide from the edge of the area against his old club.
Salif Diao was having an impressive afternoon defensively and the on-loan Liverpool midfielder did well to turn away Colin Cameron's cross under his own bar.
The Potters finally produced some decent football and combination play between Fuller and Hendrie created space for Berger, whose strike was deflected wide.
And midway through the second period, Sidibe made a mess of a great opportunity after Andy Griffin and Hendrie linked, the big striker running too wide and causing Marshall few problems with a scuffed effort.
With 20 minutes left, the game seemed finally to have come to life and from a disputed corner, McKenzie was just blocked as the Potters cleared desperately.
A couple of minutes later, Hendrie drove through the Coventry midfield and Fuller's close-range shot was blocked wide.
Fuller then saw a curling effort palmed away by Marshall and the same player volleyed over from the subsequent corner.
Coventry substitute Stern John blasted well off target with a minute left and the game finished in stalemate.
CCFC
A game of few chances ends goalless but it was the Sky Blues who came closest to victory with Dele Adebola denied by the woodwork in the first half.
Micky Adams kept faith with the same players who had earned the Sky Blues four points from two tough away games against QPR and Preston.
Darren Currie was making his home debut and had an early opportunity to show the Sky Blue Army what his set piece deliveries are like with a free-kick in an attacking position but he failed to clear the first man.
Some uncharacteristically weak defending from Elliott Ward then allowed Mamady Sidibe to get the first shot on target in the fourth minute but his low shot from outside the box was easily gathered by Andy Marshall.
The game did not really get going for the first 15 as these two defensively strong outfits sounded each other out but in the 18th minute, City carved out a fine move which nearly brought about the opener. Leon McKenzie escaped down the left and pulled back a beautiful cross for the in-form Dele Adebola to run on to but he planted his firm header just wide of the post.
Stoke's top scorer Ricardo Fuller proved what a threat he is in the 27th minute with a weaving run from his own half which resulted in a low shot and superb stop from Marshall.
Currie's set piece deliveries improved dramatically after that first poor effort and with ten to go in the first half he sent in a perfect corner which McKenzie headed on target only to be denied by a fine point blank save by Potters keeper Steve Simonsen.
And right at the death another beautifully flighted cross from the on-loan winger found Adebola at the far post but his header back across goal rebounded off the inside of the opposite upright and out to safety.
City went into the interval knowing that they could well be at least one goal clear and with no dramatic action in the opening stages of the second period the fans were calling for the introduction of Stern John to add some fresh impetus to the Sky Blues' attack.
They got their wish in the 65th minute when the Trinidad and Tobago international replaced Colin Cameron. John joined Adebola in attack while McKenzie dropped to the left hand side of midfield with Currie switching to the right.
The new introduction was nearly played through on goal not long after entering the fray but Simonsen was quick to come out his box and clear. At the other end it took a superb last ditch challenge from Ward to deny Fuller as it became increasingly apparent that this was a game likely to be settled by a solitary goal.
Towards the end Tony Pulis introduced Vincent Pericard who scored a hat-trick against City for Plymouth last season.
4thegame
Stoke City's miserly defence continued its mean streak as the away side set a new club record by keeping a clean sheet for the sixth consecutive game.
The Potteries side failed to chalk up their sixth consecutive win but will be satisfied with a point in a tight game.
In an entertaining match, Coventry shaded the first half with Stoke on top of the second and both sides were happy to settle for a point at the end.
In a tight start, it was Stoke that had the first chance of the match as Coventry's Elliott Ward made a hash of a clearance in the fourth minute.
It was intercepted by Mamady Sidibe whose shot from the edge of the area brought a smart save down to keeper Andy Marshall's left.
Coventry's first real effort didn't come until the 17th minute as Leon McKenzie rose to head Darren Currie's corner just over.
The chance sparked the Sky Blues into life as, a minute later, McKenzie broke down the right before cutting in and supplying a lovely flighted cross to Dele Adebola, but the in-form striker powered his header narrowly wide.
Stoke gradually started to show why they were in such good form going into the game as they started to take a stranglehold in midfield, although they created little.
But it almost paid off as Carl Hoefkens robbed Clive Clarke in midfield and released Ricardo Fuller. The Jamaican ran 20 yards, shrugged off the challenge of Marcus Hall, but Marshall saved the shot at the second attempt.
Coventry finished the first half on top and almost snatched the lead in stoppage time. On-loan Currie, playing wide on the left and causing Hoefkens constant problems, supplied another delightful in-swinging cross that Adebola met, but his header hit the inside of the post before coming back into play.
The second half started as tight as the first had been with both sides struggling to gain the upper-hand.
Colin Cameron was released on the right in the 58th minute before delivering a wicked cross which Salif Diao did well to head clear under pressure from McKenzie.
A minute later Stoke almost took the lead from an unlikely source as Hall, in tackling Fuller, saw the ball loop just over his own crossbar.
Stoke enjoyed a spell of pressure as Fuller released Sidibe who was one-on-one with the keeper but the 26-year-old's shot was parried by Marshall.
From the resulting corner, Patrik Berger's pile-driver was desperately cleared by Hall virtually off the line.
Fuller's lovely curling shot from the edge of the area was desperately tipped around the post by Marshall as Stoke started to sense victory.
Coventry brought on Stern John and Stoke introduced Vincent Pericard in a bid to win the game but the match eventually ended all-square.
Sky Blues Micky Adams said after the stalemate: "That was probably a fair result. I think they are the form team in this league and we've had to stand our corner at times and we've done that again today.
"I was delighted with the first-half performance rather than our second-half showing but I'm pleased with a point.
"Their defensive record speaks for itself and we don't give away many here so you could say the game was a 0-0 banker." Potters boss Tony Pulis said: "It's a great defensive record and, when you look at the attacking players we have in the team, it's an even bigger achievement for my defence, goalkeeper and central midfielders.
"We have got a good run going and maybe we'll have to look at strengthening when the window opens.
"At any time I could get a call to say that the loan players have got to go back. But I cannot spend my time worrying about things I cannot control."
posted by SkyBlueSnowy at 6:21 pm
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