Coventry 2 Preston 1 - 01/09/2007
Coventry 2 Preston 1 - 01/09/2007
Coventry City: Dimitrios Konstantopoulos, Isaac Osbourne, Marcus Hall, Elliott Ward, Gary Borrowdale, Jay Tabb (Ellery Cairo 72), Stephen Hughes, Michael Doyle, Julian Gray, Dele Adebola, Leon McKenzie (Michael Mifsud 66),
Subs not used: Andy Marshall, Robbie Simpson, Arjan De Zeeuw
Booked: Leon McKenzie 45
Goals: Adebola 80, Doyle 85
Preston North End: Andy Lonergan, Billy Jones, Liam Chilvers, Youl Mawene, Callum Davidson, Chris Sedgwick, Kevin Nicholls, Darren Carter, Danny Pugh (Whaley 84), Patrick Agyemang (Brett Ormerod 76), Andrew Carroll (Paul Gallagher 69).
Subs Not Used: Chris Neal, Matthew Hill.
Booked: Youl Mawene 55
Goals: Agyemang 16
Attendance: 17551
Referee: A Taylor
Teamtalk
Coventry came from a behind to beat Preston 2-1 at the Ricoh Arena and reclaim their place at the top of the Championship table.
Booed off the field by their supporters at half-time, City had trailed to Patrick Agyemang's 16th-minute opener.
But Dele Adebola scored an equaliser in the 82nd minute before captain Michael Doyle's 86th-minute strike earned the Sky Blues victory.
Meanwhile, defeat left North End with just one point to show from four league fixtures and manager Paul Simpson under increasing pressure having missed out on last-season's play-offs.
Preston had found themselves on the back foot early on as Julian Gray crossed from the left wing although neither Adebola, rising first at the near post, or Jay Tabb, following up near the penalty spot, could apply a headed finish.
In the 10th minute Adebola fired wide before North End took the lead against the run of play after a right-footed clearance by left-footed goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos was headed back into the danger area by midfielder Kevin Nicholls.
Agyemang was fastest to react by bearing down on goal and slotting coolly past the exposed keeper to register North End's first Championship goal of the season.
Coventry's response was swift but captain Micky Doyle directed his flashing header wide a few moments later, while Gray's aerial effort was on target but kept out of the visitors' net by Darren Carter's goal-line clearance.
More heavy pressure from the hosts followed but stout defending meant the Sky Blues were largely restricted to crosses into the penalty area.
And late in the half Konstantopoulos was required to race from his line and clear the ball ahead of the on-rushing Carroll.
Both sides emerged unchanged for the start of the second half which opened with Leon McKenzie booked by referee Anthony Taylor following a foul on Preston left-back Callum Davidson.
And the visitors found themselves pressed back once more as Coventry won a left-wing corner which was taken by Doyle and met by a Marcus Hall header which rebounded from the crossbar.
McKenzie threatened in the 53rd minute when goalkeeper Andy Lonergan failed to deal with Liam Chilvers' sliced clearance but the North End shotstopper redeemed himself with an athletic save to deny the City striker as he shot on the turn.
In the 65th minute Michael Mifsud replaced McKenzie and the diminutive striker was soon putting centre-half Youl Mawene under pressure, although it was Chilvers who headed clear for Preston as the 26-year-old closed in on Gray's cross from the left.
But Adebola was quick to pounce on Elliott Ward's long ball forward to register a classic route-one equaliser after shooting in the turn.
And the Lilywhites conceded again when Stephen Hughes found Doyle, who sent a left-channel effort into the North End net.
CCFC
A late show from the Sky Blues earned them a dramatic victory over struggling Preston at the Ricoh Arena.
Two goals in the final ten minutes earned City all three points and kept them top of the table, as a Dele Adebola strike, followed by a goal of the season contender from Michael Doyle, cancelled out Patrick Agyemang's first half opener.
The Sky Blues, unchanged from last Saturday's 1-0 win at Cardiff, did most of the early running and the visitors needed brave blocks from Callum Davidson and Youl Mawene to cut out dangerous crosses from Julian Gray and Leon McKenzie.
But a defensive error saw Preston take a 16th minute lead when Kevin Nicholls latched onto a poor clearance from City 'keeper Konstantopoulos and threaded the ball through to Agyemang, who raced away from Marcus Hall and slotted low into the net.
Michael Doyle headed wide from a Jay Tab cross as the Sky Blues looked for an immediate route back into the game.
Their best chance of the opening period arrived on the half-hour mark when Gray's looping header was cleared off the line by Mawene after good skill from Leon McKenzie created an opening in the area.
McKenzie was at the heart of City's most promising attacking play and the former Norwich man headed straight at goalkeeper Andy Lonergan at the back-post under heavy pressure from Mawene two minutes before the break.
The Sky Blues re-emerged invigorated for the second half and were only denied an equaliser by the woodwork five minutes after the interval when a Hall header from Doyle's free-kick rebounded off the top of the crossbar.
City had the opposition rattled and Lonergan was lucky to scramble a McKenzie effort behind for a corner on 54.
With 25 minutes remaining Michael Mifsud was introduced much to the delight of the Sky Blue Army - the Maltese international replacing Leon McKenzie up front.
Coventry continued to pressurise and Mifsud created an opportunity for himself with a jinking run 18 yards from goal before shooting over. City's two-goal hero from Tuesday night had injected fresh impetus into the attack and nearly netted with a header from substitute Ellery Cairo's driven cross with 15 left on the clock.
City had been threatening to score the entire second half and got their just desserts in the 80th minute when Adebola found the back of the net. The powerful striker controlled a long ball from Hughes perfectly and hit a crisp low shot into the bottom corner from 12 yards out to make it 1-1.
Five minutes later, the Sky Blues fans' delight turned to utter jubilation when they took the lead through an absolute firecracker from Michael Doyle. The Irishman collected a pass from Hughes 35 yards from goal, took one touch and unleashed a ferocious left-footed shot into the top corner, leaving the North End keeper no chance whatsoever.
With the Ricoh rocking, City held out comfortably for their first home league win of the campaign and could even have scored more againist a totally deflated Preston side, who will no doubt head back to Lancashire somewhat shellshocked.
4thegame
A wonder-goal from Coventry captain Michael Doyle kept City top of the Championship after fighting back from a goal down to beat Preston North End 2-1.
Doyle fired a 30-yard belter into the top-corner of goalkeeper Andy Lonergan's goal in the 85th minute, just five minutes after Dele Adebola had pulled the Sky Blues level.
The Lilywhites had gone into the game second from bottom and searching for a first league goal of the season.
Paul Simpson kept faith in Patrick Agyemang and the former Gillingham man put his side in front after 16th minute. Elliott Ward's back-pass to Coventry goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos was cleared sluggishly and fell to Preston captain Kevin Nicholls.
His through-ball fed in Agyemang, who shrugged off Marcus Hall to coolly slot home from 16 yards.
But Coventry were not ready to give up their unbeaten run without a fight and could have drawn level after 29 minutes.
Leon McKenzie turned in the box and fed in Jay Tabb who scuffed his shot from eight yards. The ball was cleared, but only to Julian Gray who powered a looping header towards goal. The Sky Blues fans jumped to their feet, only for Darren Carter to clear the ball off the line.
Coventry continued their fight in the second half, while the Lilywhites sat back and sat on their lead.
City had chances early on with Hall heading a Michael Doyle free-kick onto the bar and McKenzie being denied by Lonergan after the goalkeeper flapped at a high-ball.
The Sky Blues came close once more when substitutes Ellery Cairo and Michael Mifsud linked up after 77 minutes. Cairo's deft cross found Mifsud six yards out, but the Malta international could only head wide.
But the breakthrough came minutes later when Ward's free-kick fell to Adebola in a crowded area. The Nigerian shrugged off his marker and turned smartly to fire a low-shot past Lonergan.
Preston were stunned and before they had chance to catch their breath, the ball fell to Doyle on the left. The Irishman fired in the effort into the goal to win the game and secure the three points.
Coventry City: Dimitrios Konstantopoulos, Isaac Osbourne, Marcus Hall, Elliott Ward, Gary Borrowdale, Jay Tabb (Ellery Cairo 72), Stephen Hughes, Michael Doyle, Julian Gray, Dele Adebola, Leon McKenzie (Michael Mifsud 66),
Subs not used: Andy Marshall, Robbie Simpson, Arjan De Zeeuw
Booked: Leon McKenzie 45
Goals: Adebola 80, Doyle 85
Preston North End: Andy Lonergan, Billy Jones, Liam Chilvers, Youl Mawene, Callum Davidson, Chris Sedgwick, Kevin Nicholls, Darren Carter, Danny Pugh (Whaley 84), Patrick Agyemang (Brett Ormerod 76), Andrew Carroll (Paul Gallagher 69).
Subs Not Used: Chris Neal, Matthew Hill.
Booked: Youl Mawene 55
Goals: Agyemang 16
Attendance: 17551
Referee: A Taylor
Teamtalk
Coventry came from a behind to beat Preston 2-1 at the Ricoh Arena and reclaim their place at the top of the Championship table.
Booed off the field by their supporters at half-time, City had trailed to Patrick Agyemang's 16th-minute opener.
But Dele Adebola scored an equaliser in the 82nd minute before captain Michael Doyle's 86th-minute strike earned the Sky Blues victory.
Meanwhile, defeat left North End with just one point to show from four league fixtures and manager Paul Simpson under increasing pressure having missed out on last-season's play-offs.
Preston had found themselves on the back foot early on as Julian Gray crossed from the left wing although neither Adebola, rising first at the near post, or Jay Tabb, following up near the penalty spot, could apply a headed finish.
In the 10th minute Adebola fired wide before North End took the lead against the run of play after a right-footed clearance by left-footed goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos was headed back into the danger area by midfielder Kevin Nicholls.
Agyemang was fastest to react by bearing down on goal and slotting coolly past the exposed keeper to register North End's first Championship goal of the season.
Coventry's response was swift but captain Micky Doyle directed his flashing header wide a few moments later, while Gray's aerial effort was on target but kept out of the visitors' net by Darren Carter's goal-line clearance.
More heavy pressure from the hosts followed but stout defending meant the Sky Blues were largely restricted to crosses into the penalty area.
And late in the half Konstantopoulos was required to race from his line and clear the ball ahead of the on-rushing Carroll.
Both sides emerged unchanged for the start of the second half which opened with Leon McKenzie booked by referee Anthony Taylor following a foul on Preston left-back Callum Davidson.
And the visitors found themselves pressed back once more as Coventry won a left-wing corner which was taken by Doyle and met by a Marcus Hall header which rebounded from the crossbar.
McKenzie threatened in the 53rd minute when goalkeeper Andy Lonergan failed to deal with Liam Chilvers' sliced clearance but the North End shotstopper redeemed himself with an athletic save to deny the City striker as he shot on the turn.
In the 65th minute Michael Mifsud replaced McKenzie and the diminutive striker was soon putting centre-half Youl Mawene under pressure, although it was Chilvers who headed clear for Preston as the 26-year-old closed in on Gray's cross from the left.
But Adebola was quick to pounce on Elliott Ward's long ball forward to register a classic route-one equaliser after shooting in the turn.
And the Lilywhites conceded again when Stephen Hughes found Doyle, who sent a left-channel effort into the North End net.
CCFC
A late show from the Sky Blues earned them a dramatic victory over struggling Preston at the Ricoh Arena.
Two goals in the final ten minutes earned City all three points and kept them top of the table, as a Dele Adebola strike, followed by a goal of the season contender from Michael Doyle, cancelled out Patrick Agyemang's first half opener.
The Sky Blues, unchanged from last Saturday's 1-0 win at Cardiff, did most of the early running and the visitors needed brave blocks from Callum Davidson and Youl Mawene to cut out dangerous crosses from Julian Gray and Leon McKenzie.
But a defensive error saw Preston take a 16th minute lead when Kevin Nicholls latched onto a poor clearance from City 'keeper Konstantopoulos and threaded the ball through to Agyemang, who raced away from Marcus Hall and slotted low into the net.
Michael Doyle headed wide from a Jay Tab cross as the Sky Blues looked for an immediate route back into the game.
Their best chance of the opening period arrived on the half-hour mark when Gray's looping header was cleared off the line by Mawene after good skill from Leon McKenzie created an opening in the area.
McKenzie was at the heart of City's most promising attacking play and the former Norwich man headed straight at goalkeeper Andy Lonergan at the back-post under heavy pressure from Mawene two minutes before the break.
The Sky Blues re-emerged invigorated for the second half and were only denied an equaliser by the woodwork five minutes after the interval when a Hall header from Doyle's free-kick rebounded off the top of the crossbar.
City had the opposition rattled and Lonergan was lucky to scramble a McKenzie effort behind for a corner on 54.
With 25 minutes remaining Michael Mifsud was introduced much to the delight of the Sky Blue Army - the Maltese international replacing Leon McKenzie up front.
Coventry continued to pressurise and Mifsud created an opportunity for himself with a jinking run 18 yards from goal before shooting over. City's two-goal hero from Tuesday night had injected fresh impetus into the attack and nearly netted with a header from substitute Ellery Cairo's driven cross with 15 left on the clock.
City had been threatening to score the entire second half and got their just desserts in the 80th minute when Adebola found the back of the net. The powerful striker controlled a long ball from Hughes perfectly and hit a crisp low shot into the bottom corner from 12 yards out to make it 1-1.
Five minutes later, the Sky Blues fans' delight turned to utter jubilation when they took the lead through an absolute firecracker from Michael Doyle. The Irishman collected a pass from Hughes 35 yards from goal, took one touch and unleashed a ferocious left-footed shot into the top corner, leaving the North End keeper no chance whatsoever.
With the Ricoh rocking, City held out comfortably for their first home league win of the campaign and could even have scored more againist a totally deflated Preston side, who will no doubt head back to Lancashire somewhat shellshocked.
4thegame
A wonder-goal from Coventry captain Michael Doyle kept City top of the Championship after fighting back from a goal down to beat Preston North End 2-1.
Doyle fired a 30-yard belter into the top-corner of goalkeeper Andy Lonergan's goal in the 85th minute, just five minutes after Dele Adebola had pulled the Sky Blues level.
The Lilywhites had gone into the game second from bottom and searching for a first league goal of the season.
Paul Simpson kept faith in Patrick Agyemang and the former Gillingham man put his side in front after 16th minute. Elliott Ward's back-pass to Coventry goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos was cleared sluggishly and fell to Preston captain Kevin Nicholls.
His through-ball fed in Agyemang, who shrugged off Marcus Hall to coolly slot home from 16 yards.
But Coventry were not ready to give up their unbeaten run without a fight and could have drawn level after 29 minutes.
Leon McKenzie turned in the box and fed in Jay Tabb who scuffed his shot from eight yards. The ball was cleared, but only to Julian Gray who powered a looping header towards goal. The Sky Blues fans jumped to their feet, only for Darren Carter to clear the ball off the line.
Coventry continued their fight in the second half, while the Lilywhites sat back and sat on their lead.
City had chances early on with Hall heading a Michael Doyle free-kick onto the bar and McKenzie being denied by Lonergan after the goalkeeper flapped at a high-ball.
The Sky Blues came close once more when substitutes Ellery Cairo and Michael Mifsud linked up after 77 minutes. Cairo's deft cross found Mifsud six yards out, but the Malta international could only head wide.
But the breakthrough came minutes later when Ward's free-kick fell to Adebola in a crowded area. The Nigerian shrugged off his marker and turned smartly to fire a low-shot past Lonergan.
Preston were stunned and before they had chance to catch their breath, the ball fell to Doyle on the left. The Irishman fired in the effort into the goal to win the game and secure the three points.
posted by SkyBlueSnowy at 10:20 pm
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