Premier Academy League, Group B
         Alan Higgs centre, Coventry
      Saturday 8th January 2011, 11.30am

      COVENTRY CITY  v    SPURS
   (Sky Blue/White)    (White/Blue)
        4-4-2             4-4-2

         1(1)              1(1)

           Lee Burge 1 Jonathon Miles
      Arron Phillips 2 Jack Barthram
        Conor Gudger 3 Zaine
                       Francis-Angol
        Conor Grogan 4 Laste Dombaxe(C)
       Joe Henderson 5 Ramil Sheriff
      Cyrus Christie 6 Kevin Stewart
       Luke Bottomer 7 Jack Munns
           Luke Ifil 8 Callum Tapping
Jonson Clarke-Harris 9 Kudus Oyenuga
       Billy Daniels10 Alex Pritchard
        Josh Ruffels11 Darren McQueen

       Jordan Willis12 Ryan Fredericks
       (5) 65 Mins    (11)58Mins.
      Alister Wordby13 Jordan Archer 
       Will Roberts 14 Lee Angol
       (8) 65 Mins     (4)74Mins.
    Courney Richards15 Alex McQueen
       (10)86 mins     (2)79Mins.
         Alex Donald16 Roman Percil 

Scorer:-
        Daniels 42     Own goal 33 

Booked ;-
        Christie 84   Sheriff 47
      (Obstruction)   (Holding)
                      Oyenuga 50
                      (Dissent) 

Coach:-
           G. Rioch   A. Inglethorpe

Referee:- S. Plane

Spurs lined up with Stewart and Sheriff at the back with Barthram on the right and Francis-Angol on the left. Dombaxe and Tapping started in the centre of midfield with Munns on the right and McQueen on the left. Pritchard supported Oyenuga up front. Fredericks had a place on the bench after a long absence due to injury.

The home side kicked off attacking the east goal and had most of the early play pinning Spurs in their own half. Clarke-Harris and Daniels were out-muscling the Spurs back line and created openings for the midfield with early efforts from the right winger saved for a corner and the left winger firing wide. Miles then saved from Clarke-Harris before saving from the left winger.

Having survived the early pressure the visitors began to string a few passes together and work their way into dangerous positions. Oyenuga had moved over to the left which gave him room to work some openings and stretch the defence. Barthram was beginning to get down the right and one of his crosses was turned wide by Pritchard. Despite some good approach play by Spurs it was not until almost half an hour before the first real chance was made. Oyenuga ran onto a through ball by Munns to fire a low shot just wide that hit the side netting and for a moment we thought he had scored.

Spurs were now on top, opening up the City defence with some good attacking moves but without the final ball until Francis-Angol got down the left and crossed low into the box. The ball missed Oyenuga but reached Munns coming in at the far post. The ball went in either from Munns or the Coventry left back. (Ed:- Munns did no celebrate and I saw it as an own goal)Coventry responded but the final ball was missing with just one effort that was wide before they grabbed the equaliser. A ball was played in from the left that was not cleared and Daniels was able to poke it in from 8 yards. The ref did not add any time at the end of the half.

There were no changes for the second half with Spurs making the early running. Sheriff was given a yellow card for pulling back Daniels on the halfway line as he tried to break out. McQueen fired wide before Munns ran onto a diagonal ball and drove the ball against the near post. McQueen got to the rebound first but Burge saved his effort. Oyenuga lost his cool and had a rant at the ref about missed fouls by the home side which earned him a booking. He had had a go at the ref for a possible handball in the area in the first half as well so he had it coming.

Oyenuga got on the end of a Pritchard free kick but put the chance wide. Inglethorpe made his first change by bringing on Fredericks for McQueen with Munns moving more central. The City right winger fired in a low cross that was deflected goalward, but cleared off the line. After making a double substitution, Coventry began to get back into the game with a Christie effort that went wide. Daniels flicked on a centre that was easy for Miles. Angol came on for Dombaxe and McQueen came on for Barthram either side of a save by Miles. Most of the play was now coming from the home side with Spurs having to defend in depth as Miles had to make a save with another from Clarke-Harris flying over in quick succession. Christie was booked for obstruction as he attempted to prevent Miles kicking up field. Spurs survived to take a point from the game.

Neither side really clicked today as they were still recovering from the holiday period. I am sure that when the sharpness returns more of the opening created by both teams will be converted. Once they settled down Spurs looked the better side passing the ball with some good approach work while Coventry made most of their chances from the front pair who were too strong for our defenders to keep in check.

Next week the Academy entertain Reading at the Lodge and should kick off at 11am. I'm sure that the observer from Reading picked up on a few weaknesses in todays performance which Inglethorpe will have to work on.

Ray