Coventry 0 Sheffield United 1 - 01/12/2007
Coventry 0 Sheffield United 1 - 01/12/2007
Coventry City: Dimitrios Konstantopoulos, David McNamee (Isaac Osbourne 45), Arjan De Zeeuw, Gary Borrowdale (Wayne Andrews 80), Ben Turner, Stephen Hughes, Michael Doyle, Julian Gray, Jay Tabb, Ellery Cairo (Leon McKenzie 65), Dele Adebola
Subs not used: Andy Marshall, Elliott Ward
Booked: Gary Borrowdale 77, Dele Adebola 71
Sheffield United: Paddy Kenny, Gary Cahill, Chris Armstrong, Gary Naysmith, Matthew Kilgallon, Phillip Bardsley, Michael Tonge, Keith Gillespie, Nick Montgomery, David Carney (Danny Webber 84), James Beattie
Subs not used: Stephen Quinn, Paul Gerrard, Jon Stead, Leigh Bromby
Booked: Phillip Bardsley 49
Goals: Chris Armstrong 62
Attendance: 20355
Referee: C Webster
Teamtalk
Chris Armstrong's second-half goal ensured Sheffield United continued their recent impressive away form with a 1-0 victory at Coventry.
The Blades are unbeaten on the road in five matches since winning away from home for the first time this season at Leicester on October 23.
Armstrong, who scored in the midweek win at Charlton, scored his second goal in two games after 62 minutes as Bryan Robson's side recorded their third straight win away from Bramall Lane.
Some lovely work on the edge of the Coventry box by David Carney saw the ball find James Beattie on the right wing.
United's top scorer produced a pin-point cross for the arriving Armstrong to head home from inside the six-yard area.
Coventry manager Iain Dowie made three changes as he switched to a 4-4-1-1 formation.
Dutchman Ellery Cairo was recalled to the starting XI at the expense of Leon McKenzie to play in the hole behind Dele Adebola.
Dowie made two defensive changes with Arjan de Zeeuw and Gary Borrowdale replacing Elliott Ward and Marcus Hall.
Blades boss Robson named the same side that won so emphatically at The Valley.
A largely uneventful game came to life late in the first half following two superb saves by United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny.
The first came after 33 minutes. Ellery Cairo unleashed a rising shot from the edge of the area that Kenny athletically tipped over the crossbar.
Eight minutes later the Irishman thwarted his compatriot Michael Doyle with a fingertip save to deflect the Coventry captain's 12-yard shot around the post.
Kenny's opposite number Dimi Konstantopoulos was called into action midway through the first half to keep out an effort from Armstrong before the giant Greek produced an equally routine stop to deny Michael Tonge before the break.
Armstrong found the net following the first real threat from either side in the second half and the Blades would have doubled their advantage moments later had De Zeeuw not deflected Tonge's 18-yard shot wide.
Coventry offered little as an attacking threat despite having to chase the game but it was the visitors who came closest to scoring again.
Gary Cahill got on the end of Keith Gillespie's free-kick but the on-loan Aston Villa defender could not keep his header down and directed his effort over the crossbar.
CCFC
The Sky Blues slipped into the bottom half of the table as Sheffield United edged a closely contested clash at the Ricoh Arena.
A 61st minute header from Chris Armstrong was enough to give Bryan Robson's Blades victory and stretch City's winless streak in the Championship to four matches in the Championship.
Iain Dowie's men battled hard in search of an equaliser but struggled to break through the visitors' stubborn resistance.
Their best chances arrived in the first-half where Ellery Cairo, skipper Michael Doyle and Dele Adebola all failed to find a way past Paddy Kenny.
Dowie was forced into a last minute change ahead of the game full-back Marcus Hall missed out with an Achilles injury and Gary Borrowdale stepped-in for his first appearance since suffering an ankle injury in October.
Arjan De Zeeuw also returned at the back while winger Cairo made his sixth start of the season in place of Leon McKenzie after impressing as a late substitute against Scunthorpe in midweek.
The visitors boasted the Championship's top scorer in James Beattie upfront - and the former England striker had the first effort on goal when his header was deflected wide by City full-back David McNamee
Michael Tonge then found Chris Armstrong in the area but Dimi Konstantopoulos was equal to the midfielder's scuffed shot, parrying the ball behind for a corner.
A left-footed drive from Cairo flashed wide of the target at the other end, before a moment of quality from the Dutchman almost produced the opening goal on the half-hour mark.
Cairo unleashes a volley
Cairo latched onto the ball with his back to goal on the edge of the area and unleashed a fierce volley which Blades 'keeper Kenny did brilliantly to the push the ball over the bar at full-stretch.
Konstantopoulos was then on hand to keep out strikes from Tonge and Beattie before Kenny clawed away a goal-bound effort from Doyle at the back-post.
A slip from the visitors' on loan Aston Villa defender Gary Cahill presented the Sky Blues with a glorious chance to score in first-half stoppage-time, but Adebola skewed wide with only Kenny to beat.
A glancing header from Beattie was tipped over by Konstantopoulos just after the break before the dangerous frontman turned provider as the Blades went ahead on the hour.
Beattie darted past Borrowdale on the right and crossed to the back-post where Armstrong ghosted in to head the ball into the far corner via a deflection off Arjan De Zeeuw.
Doyle fired wide from 25-yards as the Sky Blues looked for an immediate response but United were standing firm at the back and could have even doubled their lead with eighteen minutes left but Keith Gillespie blasted into the side-netting.
The Sky Blues continued to throw men forward in search of an equaliser but substitute Wayne Andrews fired their best chance high and wide from an acute angle late on.
4thegame
Sheffield United continued their recent good form with an impressive 1-0 win against Coventry City at The Ricoh Arena.
Chris Armstrong's headed goal in the 61st minute gave United their second win this week and put them above Coventry in the Championship table.
Coventry manager Iain Dowie made three changes to the team who drew with nine-man Scunthorpe at home on Tuesday night, while Bryan Robson stuck with the same side who thumped Charlton 3-0 at The Valley.
The game had a slow start, with neither team testing the goalkeeper until the 23rd minute.
David Carney played a tidy ball to Armstrong on the left-hand side of the area. Armstrong hit a bouncing shot towards Dimi Konstantopoulos' goal, which the Greek palmed away for a corner.
City's first attempt came in the 33rd minute when a moment of class from Dutch midfielder Ellery Cairo nearly gave his side the lead. Cairo turned on the edge of the box, and hit a half-volley towards to top of the net - only for Paddy Kenny to turn over for a corner.
And City could have taken the lead before half-time when a through ball saw forward United's Gary Cahill slip, leaving Dele Adebola one-on-one with Kenny, only for the veteran to put his effort wide.
United looked brighter in the second half and the dangerous combination of James Beattie and Keith Gillespie threatened.
Gillespie's free-kicks in the 57th and 60th minutes had given Beattie two opportunities to grab his 13th goal of the season, with the striker's headers coming close.
And Beattie turned provider a minute later after finding space on the right. His cross to Chris Armstrong was measured, and the defender's powerful header found its way past the keeper after a deflection.
United continued to press for a second, with Gillespie hitting the sidenetting on 74 minutes.
Coventry had brought on Leon McKenzie in the 64th and Wayne Andrews in the 80th to try and change the game.
But despite some promising build-up, City failed to test the keeper and United held on for the win.
Coventry City: Dimitrios Konstantopoulos, David McNamee (Isaac Osbourne 45), Arjan De Zeeuw, Gary Borrowdale (Wayne Andrews 80), Ben Turner, Stephen Hughes, Michael Doyle, Julian Gray, Jay Tabb, Ellery Cairo (Leon McKenzie 65), Dele Adebola
Subs not used: Andy Marshall, Elliott Ward
Booked: Gary Borrowdale 77, Dele Adebola 71
Sheffield United: Paddy Kenny, Gary Cahill, Chris Armstrong, Gary Naysmith, Matthew Kilgallon, Phillip Bardsley, Michael Tonge, Keith Gillespie, Nick Montgomery, David Carney (Danny Webber 84), James Beattie
Subs not used: Stephen Quinn, Paul Gerrard, Jon Stead, Leigh Bromby
Booked: Phillip Bardsley 49
Goals: Chris Armstrong 62
Attendance: 20355
Referee: C Webster
Teamtalk
Chris Armstrong's second-half goal ensured Sheffield United continued their recent impressive away form with a 1-0 victory at Coventry.
The Blades are unbeaten on the road in five matches since winning away from home for the first time this season at Leicester on October 23.
Armstrong, who scored in the midweek win at Charlton, scored his second goal in two games after 62 minutes as Bryan Robson's side recorded their third straight win away from Bramall Lane.
Some lovely work on the edge of the Coventry box by David Carney saw the ball find James Beattie on the right wing.
United's top scorer produced a pin-point cross for the arriving Armstrong to head home from inside the six-yard area.
Coventry manager Iain Dowie made three changes as he switched to a 4-4-1-1 formation.
Dutchman Ellery Cairo was recalled to the starting XI at the expense of Leon McKenzie to play in the hole behind Dele Adebola.
Dowie made two defensive changes with Arjan de Zeeuw and Gary Borrowdale replacing Elliott Ward and Marcus Hall.
Blades boss Robson named the same side that won so emphatically at The Valley.
A largely uneventful game came to life late in the first half following two superb saves by United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny.
The first came after 33 minutes. Ellery Cairo unleashed a rising shot from the edge of the area that Kenny athletically tipped over the crossbar.
Eight minutes later the Irishman thwarted his compatriot Michael Doyle with a fingertip save to deflect the Coventry captain's 12-yard shot around the post.
Kenny's opposite number Dimi Konstantopoulos was called into action midway through the first half to keep out an effort from Armstrong before the giant Greek produced an equally routine stop to deny Michael Tonge before the break.
Armstrong found the net following the first real threat from either side in the second half and the Blades would have doubled their advantage moments later had De Zeeuw not deflected Tonge's 18-yard shot wide.
Coventry offered little as an attacking threat despite having to chase the game but it was the visitors who came closest to scoring again.
Gary Cahill got on the end of Keith Gillespie's free-kick but the on-loan Aston Villa defender could not keep his header down and directed his effort over the crossbar.
CCFC
The Sky Blues slipped into the bottom half of the table as Sheffield United edged a closely contested clash at the Ricoh Arena.
A 61st minute header from Chris Armstrong was enough to give Bryan Robson's Blades victory and stretch City's winless streak in the Championship to four matches in the Championship.
Iain Dowie's men battled hard in search of an equaliser but struggled to break through the visitors' stubborn resistance.
Their best chances arrived in the first-half where Ellery Cairo, skipper Michael Doyle and Dele Adebola all failed to find a way past Paddy Kenny.
Dowie was forced into a last minute change ahead of the game full-back Marcus Hall missed out with an Achilles injury and Gary Borrowdale stepped-in for his first appearance since suffering an ankle injury in October.
Arjan De Zeeuw also returned at the back while winger Cairo made his sixth start of the season in place of Leon McKenzie after impressing as a late substitute against Scunthorpe in midweek.
The visitors boasted the Championship's top scorer in James Beattie upfront - and the former England striker had the first effort on goal when his header was deflected wide by City full-back David McNamee
Michael Tonge then found Chris Armstrong in the area but Dimi Konstantopoulos was equal to the midfielder's scuffed shot, parrying the ball behind for a corner.
A left-footed drive from Cairo flashed wide of the target at the other end, before a moment of quality from the Dutchman almost produced the opening goal on the half-hour mark.
Cairo unleashes a volley
Cairo latched onto the ball with his back to goal on the edge of the area and unleashed a fierce volley which Blades 'keeper Kenny did brilliantly to the push the ball over the bar at full-stretch.
Konstantopoulos was then on hand to keep out strikes from Tonge and Beattie before Kenny clawed away a goal-bound effort from Doyle at the back-post.
A slip from the visitors' on loan Aston Villa defender Gary Cahill presented the Sky Blues with a glorious chance to score in first-half stoppage-time, but Adebola skewed wide with only Kenny to beat.
A glancing header from Beattie was tipped over by Konstantopoulos just after the break before the dangerous frontman turned provider as the Blades went ahead on the hour.
Beattie darted past Borrowdale on the right and crossed to the back-post where Armstrong ghosted in to head the ball into the far corner via a deflection off Arjan De Zeeuw.
Doyle fired wide from 25-yards as the Sky Blues looked for an immediate response but United were standing firm at the back and could have even doubled their lead with eighteen minutes left but Keith Gillespie blasted into the side-netting.
The Sky Blues continued to throw men forward in search of an equaliser but substitute Wayne Andrews fired their best chance high and wide from an acute angle late on.
4thegame
Sheffield United continued their recent good form with an impressive 1-0 win against Coventry City at The Ricoh Arena.
Chris Armstrong's headed goal in the 61st minute gave United their second win this week and put them above Coventry in the Championship table.
Coventry manager Iain Dowie made three changes to the team who drew with nine-man Scunthorpe at home on Tuesday night, while Bryan Robson stuck with the same side who thumped Charlton 3-0 at The Valley.
The game had a slow start, with neither team testing the goalkeeper until the 23rd minute.
David Carney played a tidy ball to Armstrong on the left-hand side of the area. Armstrong hit a bouncing shot towards Dimi Konstantopoulos' goal, which the Greek palmed away for a corner.
City's first attempt came in the 33rd minute when a moment of class from Dutch midfielder Ellery Cairo nearly gave his side the lead. Cairo turned on the edge of the box, and hit a half-volley towards to top of the net - only for Paddy Kenny to turn over for a corner.
And City could have taken the lead before half-time when a through ball saw forward United's Gary Cahill slip, leaving Dele Adebola one-on-one with Kenny, only for the veteran to put his effort wide.
United looked brighter in the second half and the dangerous combination of James Beattie and Keith Gillespie threatened.
Gillespie's free-kicks in the 57th and 60th minutes had given Beattie two opportunities to grab his 13th goal of the season, with the striker's headers coming close.
And Beattie turned provider a minute later after finding space on the right. His cross to Chris Armstrong was measured, and the defender's powerful header found its way past the keeper after a deflection.
United continued to press for a second, with Gillespie hitting the sidenetting on 74 minutes.
Coventry had brought on Leon McKenzie in the 64th and Wayne Andrews in the 80th to try and change the game.
But despite some promising build-up, City failed to test the keeper and United held on for the win.
posted by SkyBlueSnowy at 10:57 pm
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