Coventry City 1-0 Hartlepool United

YES WE’VE WON AT HOME GET THE CHAMPAGNE OUT!!! On my birthday to! Happy 17^th to me! It wasn’t even a good performance, boring first half, second was much better but neither side were amazing. One word for the win, Graft! Just happy we got the win, our home voodoo of not winning since January has changed, good day and 3 more points. Been a rubbish week, with us being taken to court and administration likely by Friday so the play off push will be over with the loss of 10 points. But glad we won and especially on my birthday!

Teams:

Coventry City:  Joe Murphy, Jordan Stewart, William Edjenguele, Aaron Martin,  Cyrus Christie, Gary McSheffrey (David Bell 89), James Bailey, Franck Moussa (John Fleck 78) , Carl Baker (c), Steven Jennings, Cody McDonald (Callum Wilson 70)

Subs: Chris Dunn (GK), Jordan Clarke, Adam Barton, Jordan Willis

Hartlepool United: Scott Flinders, Neil Austin, Ritchie Humphries, Sam Collins, Evan Horwood, Jonathan Franks (Andy Monkhouse 79), Simon Walton, James Poole, Antony Sweeney (Steve Howard 71), Peter Hartley (c), Charlie Wyke (Luke James 79)

Subs:  Adam McHugh (GK), Nathan Luscombe, Greg Rutherford, Darren Holden

Attendance: 10,412 (272 away) Didn’t look that much in all honesty!

GOAL: McDonald (33)

Steven Pressley made one change from Tuesday’s draw against Colchester with Jordan Stewart coming in for Carl Dickinson, who loan has ended. Wish him luck for the future! The game was a drab match, especially the first half as I only have 3 real chances to talk about. Hartlepool had the real cut chances as they had consecutives headers from Collins and Hartley, but they went over Murphy’s bar.  The decisive piece of the match came just after half an hour as McDonald took the ball of Hartley which I was expecting a foul to occur but it didn’t, the striker raced his way into the box and fired past Flinders into the bottom corner. I don’t know how it wasn’t a foul but I’d take it! That was it for the first half, literally! I think the Hartlepool bench was in uproar over that goal as manager John Hughes was sent to the stands at half time, as well as the assistant who after the game through his toys out of the pram at the officials and some of our coaching staff.

The second half was much better; McSheffrey had the first chance of the half as his shot just over as he was aiming for the corner. Moussa was next to test Flinders goal, inside the area shooting past a defender but with the torrential rain his shot slid into the hands of Flinders. His next shot was much better as Bailey had played him in and beating the offside trap fired at goal for the keeper to save with his legs. Flinders denied City again as Baker shot was parried but only to McSheffrey who hesitated his shot and lost the ball, shouldn’t have bottled it! Right back Christie and Baker would also fire easy saves for a busy Flinders but the skyblues couldn’t get that second goal for the cushion. Hartlepool didn’t really test Murphy much, Howard was a threat when he was sent on, I was very nervous when Luke  James came on, he is class on my Football Manager, kid can score in the Premier League so there’s a tip for all you FM13 players! Captain Baker nearly finished off with a solo effort, running from the half way line and turning defenders inside out before his shot was parried away, that was it for the match.

Glad to of went home happy and 3 points in the bag. Wasn’t a convincing result or performance but the win is the only thing that matters. Hope this week we can sort some of the off field matters out. Roll on Portsmouth Saturday PUSB