Coventry 0 Stoke 0 – 11/11/23 3pm
Fiercely competitive, but few clear-cut chances. Need to do better in front of goal, but solid & skillfull everywhere else. Here’s how the game unfolded in real time:
Unchanged Stoke in their 5th game of the 5 inter-international games. (3 wins & a draw). Coventry have 4 defeats! So this will go as badly as expected for one side at least. McNally returns to Coventry. Only Hoever, Bonham & Pearson played for Stoke in this game back in March.
24.30 Coventry hit the outside of the post (a header) after their first decent move. It’s been mainly Stoke, but despite individual skills, City not making serious inroads into Coventry’s defence.
26.35 and Bonham has to make a save from a swerving shot. Coventry beginning to look dangerous.
43.20 Real skill by Stoke, but no final product in the penalty area, as Burger puts in low cross from the left.
HT City 0 City 0
49.50 Stoke take the feeblest of free-kicks in front of goal, straight at the wall, looked like Pearson. Took ages to take it and nothing. Coventry rush down the other end and head just over the bar.
Attendance 25,000
56.36 Stevens & Vidigal combine down the left, and result in Gayle having a limp shot on target, saved easily by keeper Brad Collins. On target!!
59.00 Game opening up, and an overhead kick by Vidigal goes wide. Bonham being tested. Mmaee on for Gayle.
60.35 Leris is yellowed for handball, when in fact he was covering his face from a cross hit from close range. Very unfair.
64.00 Ex-Coventry McNally loses the ball outside his own area, but the resulting shot is high and wide. A real let-off for Stoke. Luke had been looking sulky after Rose had had a go at him earlier about positioning & marketing.
67.00 Junho and Laurent on for Vidigal and Johnson.
77.20 Coventry hitting the side netting, getting closer, although Stoke not giving up on a winner either.
86.50 fiercely competitive ending, but Stoke find themselves on the offensive, with Burger with a chance in front of goal.
FT 0-0. Not sure if anyone is happy with that. Stoke sink to 14th, Coventry to 20th!
