Sky Blues 'keeper leads by example as City go into the break on level terms with Bradford
Coventry City head into the break on level terms with Bradford at Sixfields after a pair of vital stops from 'keeper Joe Murphy and resolute defending in spades.
Boss Steven Pressley rang four changes to the side that beat Crewe 2-1 at Gresty Road at the weekend, bringing in Mark Marshall to replace Conor Thomas and Nathan Eccleston, Cyrus Christie and Carl Baker to replace the injured trio of Dan Seaborne, Callum Wilson and Jordan Clarke.
Looking for a third consecutive win in League One, the Sky Blues tried to maintain the approach that saw them pick up back-to-back wins in the league for the first time since October.
With Eccleston employed as a lone striker that involved inviting a certain amount of pressure which saw Matthew Dolan's half volley on eight minutes go straight at Joe Murphy.
Murphy was slightly more fortunate after 20 minutes when another Dolan effort from the edge of the area took a deflection and went wide.
The City goalkeeper deserved all the praise two minutes later though when an outswinging cross found the head of Aaron McLean whose downward effort almost snuck inside the far post until Murphy pawed it around his post.
Murphy warranted another pat on the back after 27 minutes when he produced an excellent stop to deny Bantams striker Jon Stead from close range.
The Sky Blues closed out the half though with their first effort of the evening on target when Cyrus Christie cut inside from the right wing and fired a low shot at goal which Bantams 'keeper Jon McLaughlin saved comfortably.
Attendance: TBC
Teams
Coventry City: Murphy, Christie, Adams, Webster, Willis, Baker (c), Moussa, Prutton, Marshall, Robinson, Eccleston
Subs: Burge (GK), Thomas, Delfouneso, McGeouch, Garner, Haynes, Finch
Bradford City: McLaughlin, Darby, Dolan, Davies, McHugh, Stead, Jones (c), McLean, McArdle, Reach, Bennett
Subs: Bentley, Thompson, Yeates, Bates, McBurnie, Atkinson, Pollard