The Lads welcomed the Sky Blues to SR5 after two goalless games, and with the stars aligning against us: unbeaten at home, former Coventry player in goal, former Sunderland player up front for them, Regis manager of the month, Mark Robins dismissed, memories of that mad 4-5 game still raw...
Despite not quite roaring to a two goal lead at the break, we seemed to spend the second half trying to lose as we sat back and gave up on closing down the opposition in their own half. High press? No pressure, and we were probably lucky to take a point in the end.
No new injuries to consider, which is something of a miracle given that O'Nien block at Preston, and a few minutes for Mayenda to ease him back into things, which was nice. Even nicer was winning the football card before I even got to the Tree... but not as exciting as the ride through. Woohoo! Front seat upstairs on a double decker in increasingly wet weather, until the magic of the east Durham magnesian limestone plateau aka Houghton Cut, where the blue sky appeared. A bit of sea fret had descended on the town, and morphed into a heavy mizzle then drizzle by the time the team was announced:
Moore
Hume O'Nien Mepham Cirkin
Neil (c) Browne
Roberts Rigg Mundle
Isidor
...and a bench of Blondy, Rusyn, Watson, Connolly, Aleksic, Hjelde, Jones, Ballard, and Mayenda.
Early into the ground, as requested, to witness the immaculately observed period of silence.
We attacked the Roker End, and Cov kicked off, winning a corner after only a couple of minutes, which Moore punched away and we eventually settled into the game. We built a bit of pressure and went really close with their keeper punching a shot away from under the bar before another shot was blocked. That got the crowd going, but on 13 there was a ludicrous stoppage for what was very obviously not a serious head injury - Roberts was away, but eventually booked for disputing the decision. Very poor refereeing.
Anyway, we got hold of the ball and Roberts got it across to Cirkin, who fed Mundle and in came the cross. In advance of the front post, Issy volleyed it right across and into the far side of the net.
Wow, just wow.
On 19 a cynical chop on Rigg right in front of the dugouts should have brought a Cov yellow but there wasn't even a wagged finger from the ref. We had Luke to thank for a diving header at our near post to concede Cov's third corner, then there was another but we got that away as well. With Browne and Cap'n Dan doing the gritty stuff and Rigg seemingly everywhere across the middle, we got it to Issy who fired one from the edge of the box straight at the keeper on 33.
We then broke up a Cov attack and Issy on halfway got it back to Cirkin who simply galloped towards the Roker End and blasted it in from 20 yards or so. Another absolute belter of a goal and still ten minutes of the half left. Thankfully, when the visitors had a decent chance, their shot under pressure went way over. We won a left wing corner on 40 thanks to a daft Coventry pass, but took it short and produced nothing.
We win a corner on the left and took it short, eventually going round the houses for Rigg to find Mundle but the shot flew over and a single added minute was announced.
No changes for the second half - personnel-wise, but tactically there seemed to be as we simply conceded possession and sat unnecessarily deep. When we did break, Issy's heel was trodden on and we had to block a Cov shot. When the same player was hauled down near halfway we took the free quickly and set Mundle away, only for him to shoot over. More fouls on Rigg followed, by apparently you're allowed to do that, and we had a free to defend. Moore collected it and set Issy away but their keeper dashed out to head it away.
After huffing and puffing, mostly in our own half, we virtually created a goal for them just after the hour. The way we were playing it looked like half an hour of hanging on was on the cards, and, barring the odd break, that's the way it was. One of those breaks was a great ball out to Roberts but he made the wrong choice. A Hume charge into the box ended with him being crowded out but booked for clattering a defender - which he couldn't really avoid doing.
The visitors' tails were right up, and we needed a great tip over from Moore to keep us ahead with twenty to go. After a series of Coventry corners, Mundle's hamstring went and Browne took a kick so on came Connolly and Ballard. Isidor went to the left, we played five at the back and basically invited the visitors to have a go.
Even with three central defenders on, we simply watched a free from our right go across the box and be headed in with seven to go. We had the odd gallop up the field, but didn't trouble their keeper before nine added minutes were announced. Naturally we tried to pile forward, but another foul in Cirkin in their box was waved away, then Roberts cut inside only to slice his shot horribly off target.
Man of the Match? It would have been Rigg if he hadn't gone right off the boil in the second half, and it might have been Luke if we hadn't conceded twice. So I'll give it to Cirkin - great goal and harshly treated by a poor referee.
Please let that be the end of our "bad" run. Still, we're somehow two points clear at the top, so don't get too upset.
