PREVIEW: Coventry City v Chesterfield - City target automatic places against struggling Chesterfield

City look to start the new year with a Ricoh win...

31 December 2017

Venue: The Ricoh Arena

Competition: SkyBet League Two

Date: Monday, January 1st 2018.

Kick-Off: 3pm

The Sky Blues will be looking to make it two wins in three days by starting 2018 with a win at the Ricoh against Chesterfield.

The Spirites sit 22nd in SkyBet League Two and have only won one of their last eight in all competitions picking up just five league points along the way.

Jack Lester's side will be without Ian Evatt, Bradley Barry, Joe Anyon, Jordan Sinnott and Gozie Ugwu who all miss out with a sickness bug that has has spread throught the squad.

Laurence Maguire looks likely to return for the visitors to relieve some of the pressure from the already injury stricken defence.

Mark Robins could be without Rod McDonald again for this one. The defender has been vital to the Sky Blues' impressive defensive record this season and missed Saturday's trip to Carlisle due to thee birth of his baby girl and a groin injury, which he has been nursing.

Peter Vincenti is also set for a spell out injured due to a ligament injury picked up against Wycombe. He joins Jodi Jones (ACL), Tony Andreu (ACL) and Liam Kelly (heel) in recovery.

New signing Jack Barrett will have to wait another five days until he can make his City debut. The Reading striker has signed for the Sky Blues on loan but cannot be registered until the new year, making him illegible to feature in this one.

Opponents

Krystian Dennis willl be Chesterfield's main threat in attack on New Year's Day. The 27-year-old has scored 11 league goals this season in just 20 starts and has been a fans favourite in attack since joining from Macclesfield last season.

Lester's defence is brimmed with experience. Sam Hird, Ian Evatt and Scott Wiseman have made over 1300 football league appearances between them with Coventry City supporter Evatt making up almost half that tally himself.

Earlier this season

The Sky Blues played out a frustrating goalless draw with the Spirites at the Proact Stadium earlier in September.

Marc McNulty came close on several ocassion but failed to find the net in what was an uneventful clash in Derbyshire.

Lee Burge was called upon on a number of ocassion and bulled off a stunning fingertip save just before half time form a Jordan Flores free-kick. It would be the closest the home side would come.

Coventry's last four New Year clashes

D - Jan 2nd 2017 - Bolton 2-2 Coventry

Tudgay (37') & Beavon (69')

W - Jan 2nd 2016 - Crewe 0-5 Coventry

Armstrong (11', 30' & 45') & Murphy (27' & 85')

W - Jan 3rd 2015 - Walsall 0-2 Coventry

O'Brien (6') & Tudgay (87')

W - Jan 1st 2014 - Rotherham 1-3 Coventry

Baker (71' & 90+14') & Christie (85')

Match Previews

Match Reports

REPORT: Coventry City 1-0 Chesterfield - Marc McNulty's 20-yard curler means the Sky Blues start 2018 with a win

Mark Robins' win at the Ricoh...

1 January 2018

The Sky Blues have started 2018 by beating Chesterf

Marc McNulty started new year the same way he ended the old one, by securing victory for City again allowing them to climb into the automatic promotion places.

The opening goal came after just thirteen minutes. McNulty won the ball in Chesterfield's final third and was allowed to turn and place his finish around Jake Eastwood to hand City an early lead.

The Spirites almost found a reply straight away. Andy Kellet was lively in midfield and cut inside to fire a shot hard to Lee Burge's left, which the City 'keeper parried far enough away so that Krystian Dennis could not put away the rebound.

Chris Stokes has already rattled the crossbar once this season, and did the same again midway throught he second half. The left-back raced onto a bouncing lose ball and fired his dipping effort beat Eastwoood but no the woodwork.

The introduction of Chris O'Grady for Chesterfield helped to give them more power in attack and they came close to levelling with 25 minutes to go. Jordan Willis' clearance only reached as far as Kellet on the edge of the area but with the goal gaping he curled his effort wide of the far post.

McNulty ended 2017 with seven goals in eight games, and had a golden opportunity to start the new year with a brace when Tom Bayliss slippped him in on goal but the former Pompey man fired his effort too close to Eastwod, forcing a save.

With ten minutes to go Chesterfield were down to ten. Scott Wiseman was booked with half an hour to go for pushing Tom Bayliss off the ball and saw red just fifteen minutes later, for a late foul on Jordan Ponticelli.

Tom Davies was excellent on Saturday when he came in for the injured Rod McDonald, and had the chance the seal in victory in the 86th minute. The defender climbed highest in the area but could not keep his header down.

Goals: McNulty 14',

Yellows: Dennis 45', Bayliss 60', Wiseman 60' & 80'.

Reds: Wiseman 80'

Attendance: 7,402 (460 away).

Coventry City XI: Burge, Grimmer, Willis, Davies, Stokes, Dev. Kelly-Evans, Bayliss, Doyle (C), Shipley (Haynes 78'), McNulty, Biamou (Ponticelli 65').

Subs: O'Brien (GK), Hyam, Di. Kelly-Evans, Maycock, Stevenson, Ponticelli.

Chesterfield XI: Eastwood (GK), Binnom-Williams, Hird (McGuire 45'), Wiseman, Dennis (De Girolamo 73'), Rowley, Dimaio (O'Grady 65'), Kellett, Reed, McCourt, Weir (C).

Subs: Parkin (GK), Mitchell, , German, Ofuegbo.

Match Reports

Standings