PREVIEW: Coventry City v Barnet - The Sky Blues welcome Barnet to the Ricoh Arena

City face Barnet is SkyBet League Two...

9 March 2018

Venue: The Ricoh Arena

Competition: SkyBet League Two

Date: Saturday 10th March, 2017.

Kick-off: 3pm

The Sky Blues welcome Barnet to the Ricoh Arena as Mark Robins' side look to climb back into the play-off places in SkyBet League Two.

New-signing Carl Baker could be availible subject to international clearance after being released from Indian Super League side ATK. The 35-year-old made 182 appearances during his first spell scoring 28 goals.

Defender Jordan Willis is also availble after serving his one-match ban for the red card he picked up away at Mansfield a fortnight ago.

Jodi Jones (ACL), Tom Davies (collar bone) and Toni Andreu (ACL) remain Robins' only sidelined players.

Barnet defnder Richard Brindley faces a late fitness test ahead of the Bee's trip to the Ricoh. The right-back joined from Colchester in the summer on a free and manager Graham Westley will hope that he does not add to his already long injury list with Jamie Stephens (hamstring), Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro (knee), Harry Taylor (metatarsal), Elliot Johnson (knee) and Dave Tarpey (knee) all missing out.

The Opponents

Shaquile Coulthirst will be the main attacking threat for the home side. The Tottenham Academy graduate has scored ten goals already this season including his first EFL hat-trick in a 4-1 win away at Swindon.

The star of the show when the sides met at the Hive in October, Mauro Vilhete could give Barnet attacking impetus from midfield. The 24-year-old has been a Bees player since 2009.

At the back for the Bees is likely to be the athletic Portuguese centre-back Ricardo Santos and experienced head Michael Nelson. Santos made 63 appearances for Peterbrough before making the move to the Hive and has become a key figure in Westley's back-line.

Earlier This Season

The Sky Blues were held to a goalless draw at the Hive when the sides met in October.

Max Biamou and Marc McNulty came closest for the visitors but Mark Robins' side failed to find the breakthrough.

Jordan Ponticelli was handed his league debut for City on an afternoon lacking excitment in North London.

Barnet Away From Home

W - 1-0 v Colchester

L - 2-0 v Yeovil

L - 3-1 v Mansfield

D - 1-1 v Cheltenham

L - 2-0 v Crawley Town

L - 2-1 v Exeter City

Match Previews

Match Reports

REPORT: Coventry City 1-0 Barnet - Clarke-Harris secures three points for the Sky Blues

Jonson Clarke-Harris' second half strike is enough the hand City all three points...

10 March 2018

The Sky Blues moved briefly back into the play-off places after Jonson Clarke-Harris' second half strike secured a 1-0 win over Barnet at the Ricoh Arena.

Marc McNulty's low cross to Clarke-Harris at the back post was the only goal of a game short for chances for both sides.

The result saw City move back into the play-off spaces, but a Lincoln winner in a delayed match versus Chesterfield dropped the Sky Blues down to 8th.

Results elsewhere means that Mark Robins' side are now back inside the top seven for the first time since January.

Kyel Reid, making his first Coventry start since last April's 2-0 defeat to Rochdale, was causing prolems for Barnet from the get-go, testing Mauro Vilhete for pace for pace down the left-side on a number of a ocassions.

The first chance fell to the Bees, however. Ryan Watson strided onto a loose ball on the edge of the area to fire a low shot just wide of Lee Burge's far post.

Five minutes later and City could hae been ahead. Reid played a pin-point 45-yard ball to Marc McNulty in the area, who twisted Ricardo Almeida Santos inside-out on the penalty spot before seeing his shot saved by an outrushing George Legg.

Despite the Sky Blues edging it on possession, Barnet were not without their chances and forced a phenomenal save from Burge just before half-time. Former Tottenham starlet, Shaquile Coulthirst skipped over a number of challenges before powering an effort destined for the top corner, but for Burge's stunning acrobatic save.

The second half was frustratingly short of chances. Clarke-Harris battled hard to create chances but the Sky Blues were only able to create one opportunity before the hour-mark, with McNulty fluffing his chance to head City into the lead.

Fifteen minutes later and City were ahead. McNulty picked up the ball on the edge of the area and charged into the channel before firing a shot-cross to the far post where Clarke-Harris waiting to fire through Legg's hands and into the bottom corner. It wasn't long ago that Clarke-Harris was once tearing his shirt off in celebration against the Sky Blue fans but this time he did it to celebrate with them.

The Bees responded with a triple-substitution but it was not enough as the Sky Blues held on to take all three points.

Yellows: Weston 25', Clarke-Harris 75'

Reds:

Goals: Clarke-Harris 75'

Attendance: 7,127 (353 away)

Coventry City XI: Burge (GK), Grimmer, Hyam, McDonald, Haynes, Kelly, Doyle (C), Bayliss, McNulty, Reid (Barrett 62'), Clarke-Harris (Biamou 83').

Unused subs: O'Brien (GK), Stokes, Dev. Kelly-Evans, Willis, Ponticelli.

Barnet XI: Legg (GK), Santos, Watson, Weston (C), Akinde (Taylor 77'), Coulthirst (Nicholson 77'), Tutonda, Izquierdo (Akinola 77'), Vilhete, Nicholls, Sweeney.

Unused subs: Ross (GK), Clough, Plavotic, Briggs.

Match Reports

Standings