Gillingham 0 - 0 Coventry City

[dutchman]

[dutchman]

Andy Turner dissects a disappointing affair at Priestfield Stadium



Coventry City experienced a stalemate at Priestfield in League One on Saturday afternoon as Gillingham stayed in the play-off positions.

The draw did little for the visitors, though, and offered only a marginal improvement on the odds of the Sky Blues clawing their way back into the top six.

But Tony Mowbray’s side certainly looked likelier to break through in a game that pepped up considerably in the second half, Jacob Murphy and Marcus Tudgay both hitting the bar in the closing stages.

Aaron Phillips, recalled for his first Sky Blues action since the 2-1 home defeat against Scunthorpe in January, slotted in at right-back as Tony Mowbray opted for a 4-3-3 formation. Top scorer Adam Armstrong was among the substitutes after his three-game outing with England Under-19s, Marcus Tudgay leading the line.

After a cagey opening period, in which both teams found it surprisingly difficult to keep their feet, it was Tudgay who produced the first genuine threat, spinning on to a superb long diagonal from Fleck only to see his shot blocked by masked centre-back Ehmer.

The Kent team suffered a setback when Dominic Samuel limped off in the 12th minute, but Stephens had to stretch to charge down a Crofts shot.

Former Gill Vincelot was allowed to run through the middle of the home defence but dragged his shot wide. And when Ricketts won a free-kick in prime position the absence of the usual setpiece specialists saw Bigirimana hit a tame effort into the wall before slicing the rebound yards wide.

Jones looked City’s main threat, despite having two defenders on his case virtually every time he received the ball but he had the crowd on his back when – in keeping with the recent tradition of duff refs at Priestfield – Mr Sarginson twice decided he was play-acting when he was baulked by defenders.

Two more dubious challenges on the teenager passed unpunished and Mowbray was furious when Jones was flagged offside as he sprinted on to Martin’s brilliant through-ball – his last contribution before giving way to Armstrong.

Vincelot couldn’t quite ger a meaningful contact to Murphy’s low cross after City conjured up the move of the match – stretching play from flank to flank with 20-odd passes.

Minutes later Bigirimana was fractionally wide with a first-time blast from another Murphy cut-back and Gillingham boss Justin Edinburgh promptly revamped his defence to get to grips with the increasingly influential Norwich youngster.

The cover was nowhere to be seen 15 minutes from time when Vincelot’s back-heel teed up Murphy for a 20-yard curler that smacked against the bar – City angrily claiming Nelson had saved but Mr Sarginson decreeing that no fingertips were involved.

No debate was required when Armstrong fired over from similar range as the game opened up in the closing stages and Nelson had no trouble gathering Fleck’s curling free-kick from 25 yards.

But the Sky Blues were denied at the death when Armstrong’s blocked cross ricocheted to Tudgay whose first-time shot smashed against the bar and into the keeper’s hands.