Super CCFC Deservedly Take A Point

By CCFC Sid
November 8 2003

A £21 coach fee, plus a £23 entrance fee, saw me sit this one out, so it's `big thanks' to Clive Eakin and Nick Pickering for providing the commentary that enabled me to write this report ....

And it's a big `F*** off' too to Sky Sports, who reported: `Sunderland lost ground on the leaders after being unable to make the breakthrough at home to Coventry, who defended resolutely for a point'. Tossers....

This was by far and away a better CCFC performance than Wednesday's, which I also didn't see - but that was mainly due to sleeping through sheer boredom! This was also the reason Peggy Arphexad was set to miss todays match, thanks to straining something versus Bradford - his eyes, trying to stay awake throughout the 90 minutes....

One-time CFCC loanee Colin Healy was amongst the starting XI for Sunderland, but his name was so rarely mentioned, it was hard to work out whether or not he lasted the 90 minutes - and I still don't know whether or not he did! Another ex-CCFC man, Gary Breen, didn't, being replaced just before the half-hour mark. Because of this, the match saw - perhaps for the first and only time in world football - a Joachim (B) marking a (J) Joachim. That fact worth the entrance fee alone (Don't I feel foolish now for not going?).

Had it not been for some powder-puff finishing from the surprisingly re-called Joachim, it could have been even better for CCFC, with Poom not quite being tested in the Sunderland goal, when he should have been.

Davenport also started this match, picking up an early booking - prompting bets on CCFC Message Boards as to exactly which minute he would get sent off in! - but thankfully he lasted the full 90 minutes, and more than justified his re-call (All-be-it because Richard `Side-Show Bob' Shaw was suspended). Now if only he could get on the pitch more times than he is alleged to get into trouble....

McAllister opted to share the set piece duties, and this decision was almost rewarded when Safri thundered a free-kick against the bar, while other efforts also managed to find a player on the same team. One-nil to CCFC for novelty value if nothing else....

Once again Arphexad was untested in the CCFC goal during the first half, and, with none of the CCFC players or staff being able to wake him at half-time, Scott Shearer was brought on to replace him. Said one-time `Calamity Keeper' looked to be back to his worst, aiming a clearance straight at Kevin Kyle, but redeeming himself with a cracking point black save from the same player.

The player that would have been partnering Jay Bothroyd at Perugia had he not been cr*p during his trial, Tommy Smith, came on for the Red and Whites, but failed to find his way past the rock that was Scott Shearer in the CCFC goal, and it was CCFC that finished the match the stronger of the teams, wasting a couple of opportunities to take all three points - which would have been as much as the CCFC supporters that made the trip deserved, supporting the team superbly throughout.

Cheap season tickets at Arena 2??? for those hardy souls that follow CCFC away too!!

"Coventry City are still unbeaten in four following a goalless draw against Sunderland this afternoon – City’s third draw in four games" - from the official site. I think, if they check their facts, they will find it's unbeaten in five....