Coventry City 2 - 1 Port Vale

[dutchman]

[rebbonk]

No local fans in the pub tonight, and only 3 away fans.

The old Bill came in a couple of times and decided that because my dog was there, there wasn't going to be any trouble! The only time the dog has ever been fussed by police officers. He then went straight back to sleep!

Later on the dog disgraced himself by greeting a few ladies. They seemed to think it very funny when I accused him of 'being on the pull!'

[dutchman]

Sky Blues claim their first league double of 2016/17



Coventry City scored two impressive first half goals to secure their first double of the season to keep fellow strugglers Port Vale in the thick of a relegation battle.

The Sky Blues backed up their one and only League One success on the road this season – a 2-0 victory at Vale Park last October – with a welcome win over the Valiants in an entertaining return fixture at the Ricoh Arena. A stunning volley from Kyel Reid and clever back-heel from Kwame Thomas gave City a quick-fire double in the space of four minutes just after the half-hour mark, handing Mark Robins his first win in his fourth game back in charge of the club to deny Vale – who pulled a goal back in the second period – the chance of climbing out of the bottom four in their game in hand.

Robins made five changes to his side for the third game running, drafting in left-back Ryan Haynes who had sparked City into life as a second half substitute at the weekend for Chris Stokes, who dropped to the bench, while Gael Bigirimana replaced Ben Stevenson in midfield. Stuart Beavon was restored to the starting line-up, deployed in the hole behind Kwame Thomas who replaced the injured Marcus Tudgay, while Reid made his first start under the new boss. And the winger was clearly out to impress as he started the game in determined fashion, taking players on and beating them in a bid to get City on the attack in a frantic start to the game with action at both ends.

Vale started with a spring in their step, clearly looking for an early goal as they forced two corners in the opening three minutes, while Bigirimana tested the keeper at the other end with a low effort. The visitors’ big No.9, Rigino Cicilia was proving a right handful up front but City centre-half Farrend Rawson dealt with him well while lively forward Olamide Shodipo kept Haynes on his toes as far as his defensive duties went. The young Coventry full-back, however, got up the pitch well where he sent in some decent deliveries.

The tempo of the game remained high as the half settled down but the quality left a lot to be desired as both sides were guilty of giving the ball away far too freely, Callum Reilly infuriatingly passing straight to an opponent as City attempted to spread the ball from right to left. But the midfielder was getting stuck in and letting his opposite numbers know he was there – something City simply didn’t do enough at the weekend. But the home side finally broke the deadlock in the 37th minute when Reid pulled off a bit of magic to score a sensational opener. Receiving the ball from a throw-in just inside Vale’s half, the winger knocked the ball over his maker and hit a sweet volley with the outside of his left foot from 25 yards out, sending his shot arcing into the near top corner.

And no sooner had the Sky Blues fans got over their celebrations they were jumping up and down again four minutes later as Thomas doubled the lead. It all started with Beavon cutting across the 18-yard line and hitting a terrific shot that keeper Deniz Mehmet parried away. But just as the ball was rolling out of the six-yard box the front man hit a cheeky back-heel to send it over the line to see City double their goal tally from their last seven games. In fact, it was City’s first goals in five long games and had the fans singing, “We’ve scored a goal, we’ve scored a goal...” as they finally got to enjoy a game.

Robins’s men started the second half as they’d finished the first, with plenty of lively forward play and with renewed confidence that saw Reid fire narrowly wide on arguably his best game for the club. The former Bradford City man was in the thick of almost every attack and almost turned provider when he sent in a lovely near post cross for Beavon who volleyed agonisingly wide of the far post. It was amazing what a couple of goals did for the Sky Blues who were well on top early in the second period when Vale had little response aside from a couple of long-range efforts that flew over the crossbar until just after the hour when Ryan Taylor forced Lee Burge to tip an effort away at the top corner. The visitors were in danger of working their way back into the game until City took the sting out of their momentum by getting back on the front foot, Reilly testing Mehmet at his near post while Faz Rawson threw himself for an attempted diving header in the box that the keeper clawed into his grasp just shy of the line.

But Vale took full advantage from a 74th minute free-kick which was floated over the pack of players where Nathan Smith peeled away with perfect timing to flick the ball over Burge with his head. Beavon took a knock late on and was replaced by Jodi Jones who added a bit of pace and trickery just at the right time as City looked to see out the last ten minutes. Left-back Stokes followed shortly after, replacing man-of-the-match Reid who left the field to a standing ovation as Haynes was pushed further up the pitch to fill in for the winger.

Vale pumped desperate long balls into the box as the clocked ticked down and City looked to catch them on the counter attack, which they very nearly did with a terrific run from the excellent George Thomas whose slightly heavy touch was snuffed out by the keeper who dived at his feet to deny him the opportunity of killing the game dead ahead of four minutes of nervous added time when the visitors had a free-kick within shooting distance. But City held out to record their first three points in seven games and although it barely makes a dent in the gap between their bottom spot and safety, which is reduced to 14 points with 21 left to play for in their last seven games, it sent the supporters home happy for the first time in seven long games.

Attendance: 7,695 (516 away)