PREVIEW: Notts County v Coventry City - The Sky Blues head to Meadow Lane

City face County in SkyBet League Two...

6 April 2018

Venue: Meadow Lane

Competition: SkyBet League Two

Date: Saturday, 7th April

Kick-off: 3pm

The Sky Blues head to Meadow Lane tomorrow looking to leapfrog fifth-placed Notts County in the SkyBet League Two promotion race.

The home side have only won one of their last six games and are without a win at home since February.

City go into this one on the back of a 6-2 defeat to Yeovil Town, and will be looking to get back into the form they were in prior to that, having been unbeaten in seven games.

Mark Robins Quote: "We couldn't ask for a better game. They are a good side. We played them at the start of the season. Even then, you knew that they were going to be there or thereabouts because they have some talented players."

Kevin Nolan Quote: "Coventry have been fantastic away from home and still have one of the best defensive records in the league so I expect it to be a tight game. We are going to need people to be confident, consistent and patient because our opportunities may not come until the last 10 minutes."

The Opponents

The Magpies have three former Sky Blues amongst their ranks. Richard Duffy made 64 appearances over four loan spells with the club including 34 appearances in the 2005-06 season where the Sky Blues finished 8th in the Championship.

Alongside Duffy in the first-team are Carl Dickinson and Jon Stead who both enjoyed shorter periods at the Ricoh Arena. Dickinson made six appearances at left-back while Stead found the net twice on-loan from Ipswich in 2010.

Up-front with Stead in County’s attack are experiences heads Lewis Alessandra and Jonathan Forte along with former Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi. The Nigerian made 312 top-flight appearances in the North-East, scoring 53 goals along the way including 15 in Europe. Last season Ameobi managed four goals in League Two.

Premier League and League Cup winner with Manchester United, Alan Smith has been a regular since moving to Meadow Lane in 2014 and even took charge of the side for a single game after the sacking of John Sheridan.

Earlier this season

The Sky Blues kicked off their new season with a 3-0 win over Notts County at the Ricoh Arena.

Jodi Jones' hat-trick was the difference between the two sides thanks to assists from debutants Duckens Nazon and Max Biamou.

Match Previews

Match Reports

REPORT: Notts County 2-1 Coventry City - City beaten at Meadow Lane

Jonathan Forte's brace sends City home empty handed...

7 April 2018

The Sky Blues have been beaten at Meadow Lane by Notts County after a second-half brace from Jonathan Forte.

The Magpies took the lead early in the second half before Jordan Ponticelli leveled with ten minutes left to play.

However, with just four minutes left on the clock, Forte found himself on the end of a rebound to tap home and send Kevin Nolan's men away with all three points.

Mark Robins' side remain inside the play-off places, just.

County were the first to test either goal after the sides spent close to twenty minutes trying to break each other down. Shola Ameobi's obvious aerial threat proved to be tricky for the Sky Blues to deal with and allowed Jorge Grant with a chance to shoot but the Forest loanee dragged his effort wide.

Robins' side started to look more confident around the half-hour mark. Jack Grimmer and Marc McNulty did well down the right to play their way out of danger before sliding Tom Bayliss in on goal, but the teenager who turned nineteen yesterday saw his show deflected behind for a corner.

Max Biamou was full of confidence after his three goals from the bench over the easter period, and tried his luck from range just before the break. The big number nine fired high over Adam Collin's goal.

The second-half proved to be a far feistier affair. Liam Noble's stamp on Michael Doyle, and the scuffle that followed, forced the referee to go into his book three times as tempers began to boil over at Meadow Lane.

It was shaping up to be a well balanced affair when County took the lead through Jonatahan Forte. The 31-year-old journeyman leaped highest in the area to direct his glancing header into the far corner. Lee Burge was insensed claiming that he had been held by Shola Ameobi, but the goal stood.

Moments later City were looking to capitalise. Jonson-Clarke-Harris, on at half time for Biamou, fired a shot towards goal from close-range that deflected up for Ponticelli who with a delicate backheel found the far corner. The Sky Blue army were in extacy.

The joy was however short lived. Burge again was forced to pull off a strong save with just four minutes left on the clock but the ball fell to Forte who poked the ball past Tom Davies on the line to send City home empty handed.

Goals: Forte (60' & 85'), Ponticelli (83')

Yellows: Biamou (45'), Noble (50'), McDonald (50'), Ameobi (50')

Sky Blues Xl: Burge, Grimmer, McDonald, Davies, Stokes, Bayliss (Ponticelli 73'), Kelly, Doyle (C), Shipley, McNulty, Biamou (Clarke-Harris 45').

Subs: Addai (GK), Hyam, Haynes, Reid, Barrett, Clarke-Harris.

Notts County Xl: Collin (GK), Tootle, Hewitt, Duffy (C), Virtue, Ameobi, Grant, Forte, Brisley, Noble (O'Connor 80'), Jones.

Subs: Fitzsimons (GK), Alessandra, Smith, Husin, Milsom, Hall.

Referee: Ross Joyce.
Assistants: Alix Pashley, Matthews Jones.
Fourth Official: Peter Wright.

Match Reports

Standings