Wolves 1 Coventry 0 - 06/10/2007
Wolves 1 Coventry 0 - 06/10/2007
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Wayne Hennessey (Graham Stack 29), Jody Craddock, Michael Gray (Neill Collins 20), Kevin Foley, Gary Breen, Michael Kightly, Karl Henry, Seyi George Olofinjana, Andy Keogh, Stephen Elliott, Stephen Ward (Freddy Eastwood 45),
Subs not used: Stephen Gleeson, Jay Bothroyd
Booked: Michael Kightly 45, Karl Henry 69, Gary Breen 64
Goals: Neil Collins 90
Coventry City: Andy Marshall, Elliott Ward, Gary Borrowdale, Ben Turner, Stephen Hughes, Jay Tabb, Michael Doyle, Isaac Osbourne, Robbie Simpson (Leon Best 89), Dele Adebola (Kevin Kyle 75), Michael Mifsud,
Subs not used: David McNamee, Michael Hughes, Kevin Thornton
Booked: Michael Doyle 22, Gary Borrowdale 24, Kevin Kyle 83, Michael Mifsud 55
Attendance: 24338
Referee: K Stroud
Teamtalk
Wolves stole all three points after sub Neill Collins headed a dramatic late winner to beat Midlands rivals Coventry 1-0 in the Championship.
Michael Kightly's ring-wing cross was met by Collins inside the six-yard box deep into injury-time to give victory to a Wolves side that had won just once in their previous six outings.
It was harsh on Coventry after they had dominated for long periods and created the majority of the chances.
A first-half distinctly lacking goalmouth action inevitably ended goalless but the second period was much-improved.
Injury forced the hosts into two substitutions. Michael Gray had to be replaced by Collins in the 20th-minute before Graham Stack made his first league appearance of the season after goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey was hurt in a collision with Sky Blues striker Robbie Simpson.
Kightly, who was this week named in Stuart Pearce's England Under-21 squad for their forthcoming European qualifiers, almost celebrated his call-up with a goal after a superb piece of individual skill just before the break.
Kightly flicked the ball through Gary Borrowdale's legs on the right-hand side of the area before unleashing a driven shot that was parried to safety by Andy Marshall. It was the closest that either side had come to a goal.
Coventry's best chance arrived early in the game courtesy of Michael Mifsud but his angled shot from the edge of the area was smothered by Hennessey.
Dele Adebola replaced Leon Best in attack in Coventry's only change from the midweek win against Blackpool.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy named an unchanged side for the third successive Championship match. That meant no starting place again for striker Freddy Eastwood.
Following the goalless draw at Leicester, McCarthy criticised the £1.5million summer signing for his poor performance from the bench and told him he was behind Andy Keogh and Stephen Elliot in the pecking order.
But Eastwood did not have to wait too long for a taste of the action after McCarthy opted to use his third and final substitution to bring the former Southend man on in place of Stephen Ward in a tactical switch at the break. However, Eastwood was again largely ineffective.
The second half was a stark contrast to the preceding 45 minutes with chances in abundance at either end.
Jay Tabb saw a goalbound effort blocked five minutes after the restart before Adebola flashed a 20-yard shot narrowly wide soon after.
Coventry continued to push forward in the early stages of the second half and Stephen Hughes should have done better than place his shot straight at Stack after Simpson had presented him with the chance after 52 minutes.
Immediately at the other end Seyi George Olofinjana fired over the crossbar after he was allowed time and space deep inside the Sky Blues' half.
Coventry came close twice in the space of a minute when Mifsud's 55th-minute shot was repelled by Stack. From the resulting corner Ben Turner's header sailed just wide.
It had been a frantic start to the second period and a comparative lull ensued before Simpson saw his close-range effort blocked by Jody Craddock in the 70th-minute.
Iain Dowie made his first substitution when he handed Kevin Kyle his first appearance for almost two months 15 minutes from time. Adebola was the player to make way for the Scot.
Stack made a save at the foot of his near post to deny Simpson after Michael Doyle's throughball put the former Cambridge United striker in behind the Wolves defence. Collins then pounced to settle the game.
CCFC
The Sky Blues suffered the agony of defeat at its most potent as an injury time header from substitute Neill Collins gave Wolves all three points.
A battle of attrition at Molineux had looked set to end all square with both defences bossing the game from start to finish.
City's best chance fell at the feet of skipper Michael Doyle midway through the second half when the Irishman fired narrowly wide of the target.
Dele Adebola started ahead of Leon Best upfront in boss Iain Dowie's only change to the side which beat Blackpool 3-1 on Tuesday.
And the Sky Blues made a bright start with man-of-the-moment Michael Mifsud forcing Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennesey to parry a low shot before the ball was cleared to safety.
The home side's first effort of the match arrived when clever play by Stephen Ward on the left unlocked the City defence but Stephen Hughes was on hand to divert the winger's dangerous cross behind.
Striker Andy Keogh then shot weakly at Marshall midway through the half before Seyi Olofinjana headed a Michael Kightly cross over the bar shortly after.
A collision between Robbie Simpson and Hennesey on the half hour resulted in the latter limping off with on-loan Reading 'keeper Graham Stack taking over in between the sticks.
Stack's first taste of the action was to watch a Hughes free-kick sail wide before diving to his left to foil Mifsud from ten-yards.
But the best chance of the opening period arrived at the other end in the 40th minute when Karl Henry's pass sent Kightly through on goal only for Andy Marshall to spread himself well and block the winger's shot.
City were the sprightlier of the two sides after the restart and Hughes stung Stack's fingers with a powerful volley before another Mifsud shot was parried by the 'keeper.
A superb block from Jody Craddock then thwarted Simpson at the back-post before Hughes' free-kick was charged down by the wall after a foul on Mifsud sparked a melee in the area.
The visitors continued to frustrate the home side on the counter attack and captain Michael Doyle came desperately close to scoring when he dragged a shot inches wide of the post.
A Kightly corner then flashed agonisingly across the face of goal as the match drew to a close.
But there was still time for Wolves to grab a slightly underserved winner when Collins rose highest in the six-yard box to head Kightly's cross beyond Marshall.
4thegame
Neill Collins produced a late, late show at Molineux to earn Wolves a dramatic victory against Coventry City with a stoppage-time winner.
The Scotland Under-21 international defender rose in a crowded goalmouth to head home a cross from Michael Kightly three minutes into stoppage time.
It earned Wolves a second successive home win but was rough on Coventry boss Iain Dowie and his players.
Coventry, who had ended a run of four league games without a win against Blackpool on Tuesday, should have made it back-to-back victories.
They had enough chances, especially in the second half, to have raced to a comfortable win.
But a dogged defensive display by Wolves and some vital saves by substitute goalkeeper Graham Stack kept Coventry at bay and paved the way for the late heroics from Collins.
Coventry should really have made an early breakthrough as Wolves only came to life as an attacking force in the final five minutes of the first half.
But Michael Mifsud was denied by a smart save from Wayne Hennessey before Robbie Simpson shot weakly and wide after Dele Adebola had chested the ball into his path.
Wolves then lost left-back Michael Gray and Hennessey with hamstring and hip problems in the space of ten minutes before finally making their mark in attack.
Michael Kightly was the spearhead for Wolves and it needed a smart save from Andy Marshall to deny him in the 40th minute.
Kightly then had a goalbound drive deflected away for a corner by Stephen Hughes five minutes later.
The interval came at the wrong time for Wolves and they could not retain the initiative at the start of the second period.
Coventry peppered the Wolves goal but could not find a way through a resolute rearguard. Simpson and Michael Mifsud were both frustrated by Stack.
Simpson was then denied a goal by a last-ditch challenge from Jody Craddock before Hughes had his free-kick blocked.
Skipper Michael Doyle crucially wasted a golden chance to finally break the deadlock 12 minutes from time.
The Irishman was picked out by a great cross-field ball from Jay Tabb and only had Stack to beat but pulled his angled drive across the face of goal.
It was to prove to be a costly miss thanks to the later heroics of Collins.
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Wayne Hennessey (Graham Stack 29), Jody Craddock, Michael Gray (Neill Collins 20), Kevin Foley, Gary Breen, Michael Kightly, Karl Henry, Seyi George Olofinjana, Andy Keogh, Stephen Elliott, Stephen Ward (Freddy Eastwood 45),
Subs not used: Stephen Gleeson, Jay Bothroyd
Booked: Michael Kightly 45, Karl Henry 69, Gary Breen 64
Goals: Neil Collins 90
Coventry City: Andy Marshall, Elliott Ward, Gary Borrowdale, Ben Turner, Stephen Hughes, Jay Tabb, Michael Doyle, Isaac Osbourne, Robbie Simpson (Leon Best 89), Dele Adebola (Kevin Kyle 75), Michael Mifsud,
Subs not used: David McNamee, Michael Hughes, Kevin Thornton
Booked: Michael Doyle 22, Gary Borrowdale 24, Kevin Kyle 83, Michael Mifsud 55
Attendance: 24338
Referee: K Stroud
Teamtalk
Wolves stole all three points after sub Neill Collins headed a dramatic late winner to beat Midlands rivals Coventry 1-0 in the Championship.
Michael Kightly's ring-wing cross was met by Collins inside the six-yard box deep into injury-time to give victory to a Wolves side that had won just once in their previous six outings.
It was harsh on Coventry after they had dominated for long periods and created the majority of the chances.
A first-half distinctly lacking goalmouth action inevitably ended goalless but the second period was much-improved.
Injury forced the hosts into two substitutions. Michael Gray had to be replaced by Collins in the 20th-minute before Graham Stack made his first league appearance of the season after goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey was hurt in a collision with Sky Blues striker Robbie Simpson.
Kightly, who was this week named in Stuart Pearce's England Under-21 squad for their forthcoming European qualifiers, almost celebrated his call-up with a goal after a superb piece of individual skill just before the break.
Kightly flicked the ball through Gary Borrowdale's legs on the right-hand side of the area before unleashing a driven shot that was parried to safety by Andy Marshall. It was the closest that either side had come to a goal.
Coventry's best chance arrived early in the game courtesy of Michael Mifsud but his angled shot from the edge of the area was smothered by Hennessey.
Dele Adebola replaced Leon Best in attack in Coventry's only change from the midweek win against Blackpool.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy named an unchanged side for the third successive Championship match. That meant no starting place again for striker Freddy Eastwood.
Following the goalless draw at Leicester, McCarthy criticised the £1.5million summer signing for his poor performance from the bench and told him he was behind Andy Keogh and Stephen Elliot in the pecking order.
But Eastwood did not have to wait too long for a taste of the action after McCarthy opted to use his third and final substitution to bring the former Southend man on in place of Stephen Ward in a tactical switch at the break. However, Eastwood was again largely ineffective.
The second half was a stark contrast to the preceding 45 minutes with chances in abundance at either end.
Jay Tabb saw a goalbound effort blocked five minutes after the restart before Adebola flashed a 20-yard shot narrowly wide soon after.
Coventry continued to push forward in the early stages of the second half and Stephen Hughes should have done better than place his shot straight at Stack after Simpson had presented him with the chance after 52 minutes.
Immediately at the other end Seyi George Olofinjana fired over the crossbar after he was allowed time and space deep inside the Sky Blues' half.
Coventry came close twice in the space of a minute when Mifsud's 55th-minute shot was repelled by Stack. From the resulting corner Ben Turner's header sailed just wide.
It had been a frantic start to the second period and a comparative lull ensued before Simpson saw his close-range effort blocked by Jody Craddock in the 70th-minute.
Iain Dowie made his first substitution when he handed Kevin Kyle his first appearance for almost two months 15 minutes from time. Adebola was the player to make way for the Scot.
Stack made a save at the foot of his near post to deny Simpson after Michael Doyle's throughball put the former Cambridge United striker in behind the Wolves defence. Collins then pounced to settle the game.
CCFC
The Sky Blues suffered the agony of defeat at its most potent as an injury time header from substitute Neill Collins gave Wolves all three points.
A battle of attrition at Molineux had looked set to end all square with both defences bossing the game from start to finish.
City's best chance fell at the feet of skipper Michael Doyle midway through the second half when the Irishman fired narrowly wide of the target.
Dele Adebola started ahead of Leon Best upfront in boss Iain Dowie's only change to the side which beat Blackpool 3-1 on Tuesday.
And the Sky Blues made a bright start with man-of-the-moment Michael Mifsud forcing Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennesey to parry a low shot before the ball was cleared to safety.
The home side's first effort of the match arrived when clever play by Stephen Ward on the left unlocked the City defence but Stephen Hughes was on hand to divert the winger's dangerous cross behind.
Striker Andy Keogh then shot weakly at Marshall midway through the half before Seyi Olofinjana headed a Michael Kightly cross over the bar shortly after.
A collision between Robbie Simpson and Hennesey on the half hour resulted in the latter limping off with on-loan Reading 'keeper Graham Stack taking over in between the sticks.
Stack's first taste of the action was to watch a Hughes free-kick sail wide before diving to his left to foil Mifsud from ten-yards.
But the best chance of the opening period arrived at the other end in the 40th minute when Karl Henry's pass sent Kightly through on goal only for Andy Marshall to spread himself well and block the winger's shot.
City were the sprightlier of the two sides after the restart and Hughes stung Stack's fingers with a powerful volley before another Mifsud shot was parried by the 'keeper.
A superb block from Jody Craddock then thwarted Simpson at the back-post before Hughes' free-kick was charged down by the wall after a foul on Mifsud sparked a melee in the area.
The visitors continued to frustrate the home side on the counter attack and captain Michael Doyle came desperately close to scoring when he dragged a shot inches wide of the post.
A Kightly corner then flashed agonisingly across the face of goal as the match drew to a close.
But there was still time for Wolves to grab a slightly underserved winner when Collins rose highest in the six-yard box to head Kightly's cross beyond Marshall.
4thegame
Neill Collins produced a late, late show at Molineux to earn Wolves a dramatic victory against Coventry City with a stoppage-time winner.
The Scotland Under-21 international defender rose in a crowded goalmouth to head home a cross from Michael Kightly three minutes into stoppage time.
It earned Wolves a second successive home win but was rough on Coventry boss Iain Dowie and his players.
Coventry, who had ended a run of four league games without a win against Blackpool on Tuesday, should have made it back-to-back victories.
They had enough chances, especially in the second half, to have raced to a comfortable win.
But a dogged defensive display by Wolves and some vital saves by substitute goalkeeper Graham Stack kept Coventry at bay and paved the way for the late heroics from Collins.
Coventry should really have made an early breakthrough as Wolves only came to life as an attacking force in the final five minutes of the first half.
But Michael Mifsud was denied by a smart save from Wayne Hennessey before Robbie Simpson shot weakly and wide after Dele Adebola had chested the ball into his path.
Wolves then lost left-back Michael Gray and Hennessey with hamstring and hip problems in the space of ten minutes before finally making their mark in attack.
Michael Kightly was the spearhead for Wolves and it needed a smart save from Andy Marshall to deny him in the 40th minute.
Kightly then had a goalbound drive deflected away for a corner by Stephen Hughes five minutes later.
The interval came at the wrong time for Wolves and they could not retain the initiative at the start of the second period.
Coventry peppered the Wolves goal but could not find a way through a resolute rearguard. Simpson and Michael Mifsud were both frustrated by Stack.
Simpson was then denied a goal by a last-ditch challenge from Jody Craddock before Hughes had his free-kick blocked.
Skipper Michael Doyle crucially wasted a golden chance to finally break the deadlock 12 minutes from time.
The Irishman was picked out by a great cross-field ball from Jay Tabb and only had Stack to beat but pulled his angled drive across the face of goal.
It was to prove to be a costly miss thanks to the later heroics of Collins.
posted by SkyBlueSnowy at 10:14 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home