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Match Reports

Match Report : 19/10/2013

19 October 2013

Match Reports

Match Report : 19/10/2013

19 October 2013

Coventry City earned themselves a valuable League One point in dramatic fashion at Molineux courtesy of a late equaliser from young substitute Aaron Phillips.

Leigh Griffiths put the hosts ahead seven minutes after the hour but City's 19-year-old full-back levelled up for Steven Pressley's side with a calm half volley infront of 3,400 travelling City fans

City boss Steven Pressley understandably named an unchanged starting line-up to the one that picked up a 3-2 home win over Sheffield United the previous weekend.

It was an edgy start for the Sky Blues when a misdirected header from Jordan Willis after two minutes fell into the path of Griffiths although Joe Murphy was quick off his line to clean up any danger.

The early stages did belong to the hosts though spent much of the opening seven minutes camped in City's half.

The Sky Blues did register an effort at goal after nine minutes though when a breakaway from Callum Wilson won them a corner, Carl Baker's delivery eventually falling to the feet of Franck Moussa who fired over.

The opportunity gave City a boost as they started to get the ball on the floor and they carved out another half chance on 13 minutes when a low whipped in cross from John Fleck just evaded the outstretched boot of Wilson on the edge of the six-yard area.

The remainder of the first half though saw little clear cut chances to speak of as both sides jostled and fenced with each other in midfield in an attempt to work out each other's systems.

The tactical battle was entertaining to watch but it was not until four minutes before the break that another genuine chance came about, this time for Wolves as a deep ball found Kevin Doyle in the box, laying another pass to Griffiths who skied his effort over the bar from ten yards. 

The second half started in a similar fashion to the first though with the home side coming out of the blocks quickly, Matt Doherty getting forward and playing a direct ball into the area for Matt Henry who turned and forced a save out of Murphy with his effort from eight yards.

The effort sparked a period of sustained pressure from Wolves in the opening three minutes of the second period as they earned two corners in quick succession, the second of which was delivered by Henry and picked out Griffiths to head over from ten yards.

City almost caught the Wolves back four on the hop on 54 minutes though when a sweeping crossfield ball from Wilson picked out Leon Clarke who was only denied a finish by a last-gasp challenge from Scott Golbourne.

The Sky Blues went close again two minutes later when a scrappy exchange 30 yards out saw the ball fall to the feet of John Fleck whose effort took a slight deflection as it whistled just past the foot of the post.

Leon Clarke went just as close five minutes after the hour when a superb crossfield ball from Fleck picked out Wilson to cross from deep for his strike partner who headed back across goal but just over the bar.

The opener was to come from the home side though two minutes later after a stinging Bakary Sako free kick forced the ball to ricochet in the area,a Wolves boot then poking the ball into the path of Griffiths who beat the offside trap and poked a finish past Joe Murphy.

The Sky Blues kept pressing though and nearly grabbed an equaliser on 73 minutes when Carl Baker's set piece was tipped around the post by Carl Ikeme.

A 1-0 defeat would have been hard on the Sky Blues after such a tightly fought contest and they got the equaliser they deserved four minutes from time in superb fashion.

Youngster Aaron Phillips had been on the pitch for just four minutes, replacing Jordan Willis, when Wilson's dinked cross took one bounce into the path of the full-back who half volleyed a brilliant strike into Ikeme's bottom corner.

The goal brought with it momentum and as the game entered four minutes of added time it looked as if the Sky Blues would turn the game on its head.

The had an opportunity gtwo minutes into added time when a scrappy encounter in the Wolves area eventually allowed Jordan Clarke to to pull a ball back for Andy Webster who curled a finish over the bar.

It was the last notable event of the game though as City saw out the remaining moments to claim a valuable point.

Attendance: 22,939



Teams

Coventry City: Murphy, Adams, Webster, J Clarke, Willis (Phillips 82), Thomas, Baker (c), Moussa (Manset 79), Fleck, L Clarke, Wilson
Subs: Burge (GK), Garner, Haynes, Barton, Rankin

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Ikeme, Doherty, Batth, Henry, Griffiths  (Sigurdarson 72), Sako, McDonald, Ricketts (c), Price (Davis 35), Golbourne, Doyle
Subs: McCarey (GK), Edwards, Stearman, Forde, Cassidy

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