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COVENTRY City slipped to their first defeat in six league games after a clinical second half showing from the league leaders at St James' Park City striker Clinton Morrison marked his 500th professional appearance with his tenth goal of the season with ten minutes of the first half to go to give the Sky Blues the lead. Wayne Routledge struck back with one for the Magpies archives though just three minutes later to level a game at half time. The second half then saw strikes from Andy Carroll, a Peter Lovenkrands penalty, a dismisal for City defender Leon Barnett and a late fourth from Newcastle sub Ryan Taylor to see the game off. Sammy Clingan tested Newcastle 'keeper Steve Harper inside the first 30 seconds with a stinging 25-yard effort which bounced off his chest but eventually collected. Good work from Michael McIndoe also earned the Sky Blues the first corner of the evening after three minutes which very nearly led to the opener. Carl Baker swung in a deep delivery headed back into thearea by Richard Wood for Morrison who chested with his back to goal and shot on the turn only for Mike Williamson to head off the line for the Magpies and deny City a certain goal. The home side went just as close three minutes later only to be denied by a superb stop from City custodian Keiren Westwoood. Jonas Gutierrez twisted and turned Stephen Wright down the left flank and got to the by line before whipping in a cross for Lovenkrands whose header on the edge of the six-yard area forced a superb reaction save from Westwood to tip the ball over his bar. The Sky Blues threatened again after 12 minutes when Wright streaked through the Newcastle back line after an intercepted pass, cutting the ball back for Morrison who was in turn challenged by three defenders in unison in the six-yard area. The game finally got the goal it was threatening though and it went the Sky Blues' way on 35 minutes.
McIndoe was played through on the overlap by Baker and in turn pulled back a low cross for Morrison who managed to get just enough power to his shot to turn it around Harper and inside the far post. However City's lead was shortlived when Wayne Routledge drove a sweet volley beyond the grasp of Westwood three minutes later. A headed clearance only got as far as the winger who swung his boot from 25 yards out, the shot beating Westwood at his bottom far corner with seven minutes of the second half to go. The home side then took the lead seven minutes after the break, Carroll nodding home from close range from Kevin Nolan's cross. A through ball for Nolan allowed the midfielder to chip a ball into the six-yard box and leave a comfortable finish for the England Under 21 international.
Carroll was feet away from a second and Newcastle's third three minutes later, Gutierrez beating Wright on the left flank and whipping in a low cross which Carroll flicked wide at the near post, just seconds before new City arrival Jonathan Stead took his first bow for the Sky Blues. Carroll shot narrowly wide again on 65 minutes, getting the better of Richard Wood from a long ball but the City centre half recovered well to get a deflective toe to the striker's effort from just inside the penalty area. City's task got harder three minutes later when Barnett was given a second yellow card for hauling down Routledge in the Sky Blues' area. The Coventry centre half was given his marching orders and Lovenkrands duly dispatched the spot kick to make it 3-1. Nolan went close for the Magpies with ten minutes to go after latching onto a crossfield ball from Routledge only for Cranie to force him out wide and fire off target from an acute angle. Substitute Aron Gunnarsson forced a solid save out of Harper with four minutes to go, cutting in from the right and shooting straight at the Magpies 'keeper who displayed safe hands. Newcastle put the finishing touches on the tie in injury time though, replacement Fabrice Pancrate getting down the right hand side and putting a low cross in for fellow sub Taylor to fire home at the back post.
Attendance: 39,334 Teams Coventry City: Westwood, Wright (c), Clingan, Eastwood (Stead 55), Morrison (Sears 60), Deegan (Gunnarsson 64), Cranie, Baker, McIndoe, Barnett, Wood Newcastle Utd: Harper, Coloccini, Nolan, Williamson, Guthrie, Routledge (Pancrate 82), Lovenkrands (Best 71), Simpson, Van Aanholt, Gutierrez (Taylor 82), Carroll |
