Coventry City 1 - 2 Sheffield United

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We met a lot of Sheffield fans tonight, they were a great bunch. - Except the one who thought our dog looked like Bungle off Rainbow!

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Coventry City's League 1 clash with Sheffield United temporarily halted after pitch invasion



A section of Coventry City fans disrupted Thursday night's League One clash with Sheffield United by protesting against the club's owners with a second-half pitch invasion.

The match was temporarily paused, while some of the crowd in attendance ran onto the pitch towards the closing stages of the game, carrying flags and banners.

Supporters had earlier protested with anti-Sisu Christmas carols before the game, and then by collectively blowing whistles as the game kicked-off.

Sky Blues protests groups had chosen the fixture to demonstrate against the club's owners, as the clash with the Blades was chosen to be televised live by Sky Sports.

The game was restarted after around a seven minutes pause, in which time the players and officials returned to their dressing rooms.

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Sky Blues fall to sixth straight league defeat



Coventry City slipped to their sixth consecutive defeat against a Sheffield United side who moved joint top of League One.Mark Venus’s men looked capable of snatching at least a draw as they staged a valiant second-half rally only to be sunk by Billy Sharp’s second goal moments play had resumed following a pitch invasion.

It was a sad, surreal spectacle rendered all the more poignant by the interval video tribute marking the first anniversary of Jimmy Hill’s death. God alone knows what the great man would have made of it all. We wait to see whether the protest in front of the Sky cameras will see a change of heart from the owners. But from a football point of view the frustration was the fact that the Sky Blues looked anything but outclassed by one of the strongest sides in the division. A pre-orchestrated chorus of whistles erupted on the referee’s first official peep and, supplemented by the odd anti-Sisu refrain, was relentlessly maintained throughout the half.

Six minutes into the game a lone pitch invader reached the centre-circle and was allowed a surprisingly extended spell in the spotlight before wandering off. In the interim a group of fans migrated from the top of the south-east corner to the unoccupied pitchside seats at the front of the stand where they were confronted by a thin hi-vis line of policemen and stewards. They briefly turned their verbal fire on David Webb after 22 minutes when the referee called a drop-ball stoppage while half-a-dozen sky blue balloons were stomped into submission.

And, coincidence or not, the Blades made their breakthrough within a minute of the resumption as Lafferty spooned over a left-wing cross, Done fended off Turnbull to touch it back and Sharp side-footed into the bottom corner for his 13th goal of the season.

The Blades fans demonstrated the Yorkshire version of sympathy and solidarity with a mocking chorus of ‘we love you Sisu.’ And they claim terrace wit is dead! John Fleck, looking appreciably slimmer and nippier on his first Ricoh return, almost added a quick second when he was fractionally high with an exquisite chip. But City nearly conjured up an equaliser, Rose heading on McCann’s corner and Wright swivelling to volley over the bar.

They ended the half with a flurry of setpiece pressure and, six minutes after the restart they were back on terms – Agyei’s left-foot shot from outside the box deflecting off Coutts’s boot and looping over the stranded Moore.Suddenly the Blades looked vulnerable – Ebanks-Landell almost conceded a comedy own-goal and Sordell found the space for a curling effort which was too close to the keeper to cause any real concern. Fleck, who collected more than his fair share of bookings during his City days, tested Mr Webb’s patience with a series of clattering tackles but was involved in a flowing counter-attack that saw substitute Lavery’s curling shot graze the far post.

With no defensive options on the bench Mark Venus had no choice other than to freshen up his attack and the fresh energy almost paid dividends as Lameiras and Thomas combined to free Sordell for a shot that skidded an inch or two wide. Chris Wilder in turn pitched on Leon Clarke to a predictably hostile reception and the one-time City idol made his presence felt when he opened the way for Lavery to again smack a shot against Charles-Cook’s far post. For a while the Sky Blues were rocking – Charles-Cook pulling off a superb save from Duffy – but the match was still very much in the balance when it was halted five minutes from time as a group of fans made their way to the deserted north stand before spilling on to the pitch to stage a protest in front of the directors’ box.

The teams were led off but the authorities opted for a laissez-faire approach and after a six- minute delay – and a brief worrying interlude when some Sheffield fans surged forward – the invaders wandered off and the game resumed.But again it was City who were caught cold as a right-wing cross found Sharp and although his first attempt was blocked by Charles-Cook he had the easiest of tasks to turn home the loose ball.

Attendance: 8,801 (1,193 away)

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FA investigates Coventry City protests during televised Sheffield United clash



Coventry City face a wait to find out if they will be punished in the wake of last night’s supporter protests and pitch invasion.

A spokesman for the Football League has told the Telegraph The FA will be investigating the demonstrations during the League One clash with Sheffield United at the Ricoh Arena last night.

The FA is said to be waiting for a report from referee David Webb before making any decisions on what action should be taken. Punishments at the FA’s disposal include fines and points deductions.

Around 100 CCFC supporters invaded the pitch during a peaceful protest in the final five minutes of the 2-1 defeat to The Blades - with the score was 1-1. The match, which was being broadcast live by Sky Sports, was held up for about ten minutes.

Hundreds of fans also blew whistles in the stadium throughout the game and there was a small amount of trouble reported in the stands between opposing fans.

Sky Blues fans were venting their anger at the club’s London hedge fund owners after more than nine years of failure under their tenure.

It was the latest in a string of protests to have taken place this season and is the second time a game has been delayed. In October, thousands of plastic pigs were thrown onto the pitch during the game with Charlton Athletic at The Valley, delaying kick-off.