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Match Reports

Match Report : 14/12/2013

14 December 2013

Match Reports

Match Report : 14/12/2013

14 December 2013

Coventry City had to settle for a point at Sixfields after a 2-2 draw with Crewe Alexandra.

Tom Hitchcock opened the scoring for Alex after 15 minutes but Moussa headed home Chris Maguire's corner delivery with eight minutes of the first half to go.

City then got themselves ahead ten minutes after the restart thanks to a Callum Wilson penalty only for Chuks Aneke to grab a leveller for the visitors six minutes after the hour.

City boss Steven Pressley rang three changes to the side that drew 1-1 at Hartlepool in the FA Cup second round the previous weekend with previously ineligible Chris Dagnall and Maguire returning to the side along with top scorer Callum Wilson who had served a one-match suspension.

Given it was virtually the same side that recorded the memorable 3-1 win away at MK Dons a fortnight before, the Sky Blues seemed to carry that momentum through to the clash with Alex as they dominated an opening 15 minutes which barely saw the visitors get a touch of the ball.

City could not turn all of their possession into chances though and they fell behind well against the run of play with Crewe's first opportunity of the afternoon after quarter of an hour.

Dagnall was dispossessed in midfield with the ball falling to the feet of Aneke who slipped a through ball to Hitchcock to apply a cool finish past Joe Murphy.

Dagnall very nearly made amends three minutes later when a crossfield ball from him found Blair Adams on the left to swing in a ball for the striker who got involved in a scrappy battle in the six-yard area in an attempt to turn the ball home, only for Crewe 'keeper Ben Garratt to shoot off his line and tidy up.

Just before the half hour Murphy was required to beat away the most unlikely of efforts when George Evans' inswinging corner delivery was taken by the wind and lookied to be heading into the far top corner until the City 'keeper tipped the ball over his bar.

City got the goal their play deserved with eight minutes of the half to go though courtesy of Moussa's header.

Maguire whipped a devilish inswinging corner delivery into the six-yard box which Moussa nodded home from close range to restore parity.

They were then unlucky to not grab a second as the half approached its close when Cyrus Christie's 20-yard effort moved late for Garratt who only parried infront of him, allowing Dagnall to nip in and tap home only to be ruled offside.

The Sky Blues nearly got the second half off to a perfect start though when they won an early corner and Maguire swung in a delivery that flashed across the face of goal and was very nearly steered in by the windy conditions.

They got their second goal on 55 minutes though courtesy of a confidently taken penalty taken by Wilson.

The City striker infact won the penalty when he did well to bring down a long ball and get round Adam Dugdale and then tried to round Garratt who brought him down in the area.

Wilson then stepped up to send the 'keeper the wrong way and net his 14th goal of the season.

Crewe got an equaliser of their own six minutes after the hour though after a defensive mix-up handed an opportunity to Aneke.

A bobbling ball back from midfield from Maguire saw Jordan Clarke miscontrol the ball which rolled into the path of Hitchcock. He then slipped a cut back to Aneke who slotted home low past Joe Murphy to level the game.

The Sky Blues very nearly got their advantage back in the most spectacular fashion with 15 minutes to go when Maguire's run down the right took his past two men before a delicate chip to sub Leon Clarke was freciprocated to the midfielder, his half volley from eight yards smashing against a defender to be deflected behind for a corner when the move deserved a goal.

They went close again as the game approached the end of normal time when Carl Baker came off the bench to lift a ball into the box from the byline for Leon Clarke who got his foot to the ball only to see his effort from eight yards blocked by a group of sacrificial Crewe bodies who threw themselves in the way in desperation.

It was not to be though for the Sky Blues who pushed for a winner in the four minutes of added time but had to settle for a point.

Attendance: 1,618 (243 away)

Teams

Coventry City: Murphy (c), Adams, Christie, Seaborne, J Clarke, Moussa (Baker 81), Fleck, Thomas, Maguire, Wilson, Dagnall (L Clarke 70)
Subs: Gott (GK), Webster, Daniels, Phillips, Haynes

Crewe Alexandra: Garratt, Tootle, Mellor, Davis, Dugdale, Osman (c), Moore, Hitchcock (Inman 78), Evans, Aneke, Tue Na Bangna
Subs: Martin (GK), Ellis, Leitch-Smith, Guthrie, Nolan, Waters

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