Coventry City 1 - 1 Notts County

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Coventry City 1 - 1 Notts County

Postby dutchman » Sat May 12, 2018 2:41 pm

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Re: Coventry City 1 - 1 Notts County

Postby dutchman » Sat May 12, 2018 9:44 pm

Marc McNulty levels in League Two play-offs

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Marc McNulty kept Coventry City’s Wembley dream alive with a late penalty to ensure their semi-final play-off is perfectly balanced at the halfway stage.

The Sky Blues dominated and had their chances in the first half but had to come from behind against a feisty Notts County side in a pulsating first leg at the Ricoh Arena.

Almost 15,000 expectant fans willed Mark Robins’s men to gain home advantage going into next week’s second leg at Meadow Lane, but City found themselves chasing the game after being on the front foot in the first 45 minutes of an entertaining and often tense tie.

Jonathan Forte gave the visitors an early second half lead with a fine finish at the near post after City’s defence was wrong footed.

But the home side battled back and equalised four minutes from time from the penalty spot – Marc McNulty sending the keeper the wrong way to raise the roof at the halfway stage of the competition.

McNulty went close as early as the ninth minute as City took the game to the Magpies with an exciting show of attacking intent in an exciting start to the tie. Played clean through by Jordan Shipley, the leading scorer beat the keeper with a right-footed shot across Adam Collin but hit the foot of the post before Max Biamou hit the rebound which was blocked by a back-tracking defender.

County, meanwhile, hardly had a kick in the opening 15 minutes when they were limited to two corners where they showed their dominance at set pieces when Forte won his header but sent it over the bar from the second flag kick – a clear warning shot to the Sky Blues.

City became increasingly frustrated with County’s physical side as they attempted to block at every opportunity, and get away with it, in a feisty encounter.

But the home side looked largely in control of the first half, looking by far the better and more likely to score despite the dreadful conditions with plenty of surface water slowing the ball up.

Tom Bayliss was played into the box by Liam Kelly three minutes from the break when he looked in two minds whether to shoot or pass to Shipley and, in the event, bent it wide across the face of goal from a good shooting position.

The Sky Blues were left to rue their missed first half chances when Forte gave County an early second half lead.

The conditions played a huge part as Jack Grimmer slid in to dispossess full-back Daniel Jones who somehow rode the challenge to send in a near post cross which the big striker converted brilliantly with a deft flick to in front of the travelling fans.

Bayliss went close just after the hour when he was played in by Chris Stokes on a marauding run down the left, but the teenager fired agonisingly wide.

But it was Bayliss who was caught by right-back Matt Tootle on the edge of the box to the left of goal in the 86th minute, leaving the referee to blow for a penalty.

In truth, it looked a harsh decision but City deserved a bit of luck on the night considering their endeavour, and McNulty stepped up to fire home his 27th goal of the season and arguably his most important to date.

Attendance: 17,404 (2,756 away)

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