Monday, April 27, 2009

Coventry 2 Watford 3 - 25/04/2009

Coventry 2 Watford 3 - 25/04/2009

Coventry City: Keiren Westwood, Elliott Ward (James McPake 45), Ben Turner, Daniel Fox, Marcus Hall, Aron Gunnarsson, Isaac Osbourne (Jermaine Grandison 90), Michael Doyle, Robbie Simpson (Ashley Cain 77), Freddy Eastwood, Clinton Morrison
Subs not used: Kevin Thornton, Danny Ireland
Booked: Ben Turner 73, Marcus Hall 43
Sent off: Daniel Fox 82
Goals: Freddy Eastwood 10, Robbie Simpson 54

Watford: Scott Loach, Michael Williamson, Lloyd Doyley, Adrian Mariappa, Jay Demerit, Ross Jenkins (Danny Rosewe 65), Jack Cork, Jobi McAnuff, Tommy Smith, Tamas Priskin (Aleksandrs Cauna 90), Grzegorz Rasiak
Subs not used: Richard Lee, Andrei Stepanov, Jon Harley
Goals: Tommy Smith 58, Grzegorz Rasiak 6, Tamas Priskin 74

Attendance: 17195
Referee: R Booth

Teamtalk
Tamas Priskin capped a superb fightback as Watford recovered from two goals down to claim a 3-2 victory over Coventry at the Ricoh Arena.

Freddy Eastwood put the Sky Blues ahead early on and Robbie Simpson put them firmly on course for a first win in seven shortly after the break.

But Tommy Smith reacted first to his saved penalty to reduce the deficit and Grzegorz Rasiak headed the Hornets level before Tamas Priskin slotted home the winner.

Daniel Fox added to Coventry's misery when he saw red late on.

Sky Blues boss Chris Coleman's selection choices were limited by a host of injuries but he was able to welcome back striker Clinton Morrison following illness.

The Hornets also recieved a boost to their frontline with Priskin back after a fortnight out due to a knee problem, while strike partner Rasiak made his first start since his groin trouble.

The Sky Blues broke the deadlock in the 10th minute when Morrison set up Eastwood to slot home from 12 yards.

The effort was the Wales striker's fourth goal in 51 appearances in all competitions since arriving from Wolves in the summer.

Goalkeeper Scott Loach was then called upon to keep the Sky Blues' advantage down to a single goal, making a brilliant save to deny Simpson.

Keiren Westwood was in action at the other end parrying away Priskin's strike, before defender Lloyd Doyley struck a poor effort wide from close range.

Simpson doubled the Sky Blues' advantage nine minutes after the break, firing home a free-kick from 25 yards after he was fouled by Ross Jenkins.

Smith then went close to pulling one back when he fired the ball against the bar.

He had another chance to reduce the deadlock shortly after when Ben Turner fouled Rasiak in the box.

Smith saw his spot-kick saved by Westwood but made amends by slotting home the rebound in the 58th minute.

And the visitors were level three minutes later when Rasiak headed home Jobi McAnuff's cross.

The comeback was complete in the 74th minute when Rasiak headed the ball on for Priskin to find the net with a close-range strike.

Coventry's woes continued as Fox was sent off for violent conduct in the 82nd minute after a clash with Priskin.

CCFC
Coventry City saw a two-goal lead slip through their fingers as visitors Watford netted three second-half goals to close out the Sky Blues' home campaign with a defeat.

Freddy Eastwood scored his fourth goal of the season to give the Sky Blues a ninth minute lead and Robie Simpson made it 2-0 eight minutes into the second half with a superb set piece.

But Tommy Smith had two bites of the cherry with a 56th minute penalty, poking home a rebound after City 'keeper Keiren Westwood saved his initial spot kick.

And Greg Rasiak and Tamos Priskin completed the comeback with strikes in the 61st and 73rd minutes.

Watford's Lloyd Doyley registered the games first effort at goal albeit well off target, bringing the ball across the pitch to the D on the edge of Keiren Westwood's penalty area only to drag the shot well wide of goal.

Eastwood opened the scoring for the Sky Blues after nine minutes though, involved in a great bit of interplay with Clinton Morrison before sweeping home past Hornets 'keeper Scott Loach for his fourth strike of the season, much to the delight of the Sky Blue Army.

Robbie Simpson then did well to fashion a chance on 17 minutes, latching onto a great through ball from Morrison before firing at goal from an acute angle, forcing Loach to palm the ball around his post for a corner.

Doyley could have got the Hornets on level terms four minutes later, pouncing on Tamos Priskin's shot which was parried by Westwood but launching his follow-up effort well high and well wide.

Priskin was then unfortunate ten minutes before the break with a well-struck half-volley on the edge of the area which only got as far as careering off Ben Turner.

And Jobi McAnuff gave the City back four a minor scare on 39 minjutes, getting in between Isaac Osbourne and Eastwood to get into the area and curl an acute shot just around the outside of Westwood's far post.

Coventry got their second half off to a great start though when Simpson hammered home his fifth goal of the season with a superb set piece from almost halfway inside the Watford half.

Regular set piece taker Fox lined up the free kick but Simpson stepped up to fire from 30 yards and curl a shot over the wall and inside Loach's post.

Tommy Smith almost got a goal back two minutes later , crashing a header off Westwood's crossbar.

But he had a chance to make amends on 56 minutes, Turner giving away a penalty and Smith stepping up to take the spot kick although he needed to convert the rebound after Westwood saved his initially penalty.

Westwood was also called upon to make a great save two minutes later from Rasiak who clipped a header at goal from McAnuff's cross the City 'keeper showing great reflexes to tip the header over the bar.

He could do nothing about Rasiak's next effort just after the hour mark though, the Hornet's going level when McAnuff provided a deep cross from the resulting corner for the striker who rose to head back across the goalmouth and into the top corner.

It got worse on 73 minutes when Tamos Priskin prodded home a third for Watford, Rasiak heading down McAnuff's cross, leaving the striker to prod home through Westwood and Turner.

Fox was then handed a straight red card by referee Russell Booth following an altercation with Watford winger Smith with ten minutes to go after he had been awarded a free-kick, leaving the Sky Blues to see out the remaining minutes of their home campaign a man short.

4thegame
Watford staged a tremendous fightback to come back from a two-goal deficit to defeat ten-man Coventry City .

Coventry wore a brown strip instead of their usual Sky Blue to mark the club's 125th anniversary and the change appeared to suit them when they grabbed the lead in the tenth minute.

Freddy Eastwood exchanged passes with Clinton Morrison before striking a firm shot into the corner of the net for his first goal for four months.

Watford should have equalised in the 21st minute. Tamas Priskin's stinging 20-yard shot was too hot for Keiren Westwood to handle and when the re-bound fell to Lloyd Doyley, the defender blazed his close-range shot high over the bar.

Chris Coleman's men doubled their lead in the 53rd minute after referee Russell Booth awarded the hosts a free-kick for Ross Jenkins' foul on Robbie Simpson.

The striker stepped up to fire a 25-yard shot beyond Scott Loach and into the net.

But Watford responded by reducing the arrears just four minutes later.

Tommy Smith, making his 300th appearance, rattled the bar with a fine strike and when Priskin collected the ball, he was brought down inside the box by Ben Turner.

Smith's penalty was saved by Westwood when he dived to his left but the leading scorer tucked in the rebound for his 17th goal of the season.

Brendan Rodgers' men were on level terms in the 61st minute when Jobi McAnuff's corner was headed in by Grzegorz Rasiak.

The visitors went in front in the 73rd minute when skipper Jay Demerit headed the ball into the path of Priskin and he back-heeled the ball beyond Westwood.

Coventry were reduced to ten men when Danny Fox was shown a red card for pushing Priskin eight minutes from full-time.

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