Match Day Thread Coventry City v Preston North End St Andrews 24/4/2021

please log in to view this image

please log in to view this image

LAST TIME OUT

STOKE CITY 2 COVENTRY CITY 3

FORM GUIDE

CITY 16 PNE 11

You can almost smell the suntan lotion in this one, we are safe and City need a point, as the two sides meet at St Andrews in City's penultimate game at their neutral home ground before they return home to the Ricoh next season.
If City stay up which almost cerainly they will it will be a tremendous done by Manager Mark Robins given the liited resources that they have.
This will be the fourth different ground in about the last 20 years that we have played City in, Highfield Road, The Ricoh, Sixfields and St Andrews they are apparently in negotiations to move to another groubd in Coventry so hopefully sooner rather than later their Nomadic wanderings will end.

History of Coventry City F.C.


Coventry City playing at Highfield Road Stadium in 1982.
Coventry City Football Club is an English association football club based in Coventry in the Midlands. The club was founded in 1883 as Singers F.C. by Willie Stanley, an employee of cycle firm Singer Motors. In 1898, the name was changed to Coventry City. The club first joined the Football League after World War I and in 1938, the club missed out on promotion to the First Division by one point.

Since the 1960s, the club has been nicknamed 'the Sky Blues' owing to the colour of their kit introduced by manager Jimmy Hill. Arriving in 1961, Hill and club chairman Derrick Robins led a revival of the club's fortunes which culminated in promotion to Division One in 1967. During their promotion season, the club went 25 games undefeated and reportedly attracted a crowd of over 50,000 spectators for a match with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The city remained in the top tier of English football for over 30 years, winning the 1987 FA Cup under John Sillett, and in 1992, they became founding members of the Premier League. At the end of the 2000–01 season, they were relegated to the FL Championship. Since then, the club has been relegated twice more, experienced a change of ownership and, between 2013 and 2014, was temporarily forced to groundshare with Northampton Town.[1][2] and now at St Andrews, Birmingham

FAMOUS COVENTRY PERSON

Ernest Gold CB DSO OBE FRS[1] (24 July 1881 – 30 January 1976) was a British meteorologist.[2][3][4]

He was born at Berkswell, near Coventry and educated at Mason University College (which later became the University of Birmingham)[5] and St John's College, Cambridge.[6]


Gold set up the first operational (military) meteorological service and demonstrated the vital role of meteorologists to the military hierarchy. He was mentioned in dispatches and was awarded the DSO and OBE and rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Gold oversaw not only the creation of an operational weather service but also the development of international aviation services, becoming President of the Commission for Synoptic Weather Information of the International Meteorological Organization (now the World Meteorological Organization).

In 1919 he became Deputy Director of the Meteorological Office.[7]

He was President of the Royal Meteorological Society for 1934–35.[8]

https://www.skybluestalk.co.uk/forums/co...al-chat.7/

FRANKIE SAYS

it will be the exact same squad as players to pick from. DJ at the moment, he has had a reoccurence in the calf which has been uncomfortable for him. I don't want to rush him and I want to make sure he is 100% .

I'm a positive person, a lot of them are young guys doing their best for Preston North End. Some of the stuff I've been told in the last day or two leaves me with a sour taste in my mouth. I don't do social media. Let's give them the credit they deserve. They had a bad 15 minutes against Brentford, I take responsibility for that. Cut the negatives; let them go and play and enjoy it.

The camararderie within this group is really, really good and the team spirit is too. We need to look what everyone brings to the group. People thrive on negativity and try to bring individuals down - it isn't going to work. I'm sure we'll do alright going forward, we've got a good group.

Iverson's a great kid, loves the environment and atmosphere here. His performances have been fantastic.

The most difficult part is leaving boys out because they give everything in training. You can't please everybody but it's doing it in the right manner and professionally. You can only pick 11 players and you need a squad.
Coventry
They've changed their system a little bit and are a lot more direct than in the past. Recently, they have been on a good run and credit to them, they have done extremely well. It'll be a tough game for us but we will go with the same mindset.

There were a few things, I just needed to say it and I know in life that there is always someone trying to drag you down. I'm a positive person and I want the guys in this camp to froget any negativity and be positive. We've done well and set ourselves a good platform. Let's kick on and see where we finish - I have every faith and trust in them, they are good players.

Most pleasing thing so far?
The pleasing thing is that they've done what I thought they could. I believed in them. I had no doubts they would go and compete and do well. They have got themselves out of a precarious position. I'm delighted for them.

McAvoy on Bayliss
He's done well, he's a good boy, he's had a lot of knocks and has been here a long time. Saturday might be his chance, we just need to wait and see. He's there, in my thoughts and always has been.
Have you heard about the news on Mizar 5

 

Preston North End will, on Saturday, look to achieve something they have never done before at first team level and win twice at St Andrews, when they face Mark Robins’ Coventry City at their temporary home.

The Sky Blues, who have virtually ensured their Championship survival with three excellent straight wins against Rotherham United, Barnsley and then on Wednesday night at Stoke City, will return to the Ricoh Arena in 2021/22 and have just two games left in the second city.

North End did the same on Tuesday night, all but mathematically ensuring their Championship status with a 3-0 home win over relegation threatened Derby County and they will be looking to continue to build on the foundations that Frankie McAvoy has created in his role as interim head coach.

The final Saturday 3pm away game of the season (with Nottingham Forest being a 12.30pm kick-off on the final day) will be one the Lilywhites hope to add to their positive away form, with two clean sheets against Swansea City and Stoke City since the change of manager.

Head To Head: PNE wins – 17; Draws – 14; Coventry City - 10

Team News
There are no new concerns for Frankie McAvoy ahead of the team’s second trip to St Andrews this season, although Daniel Johnson could still miss out after suffering a set back with his calf.

In Wednesday’s win at Stoke, Mark Robins made two changes from the previous weekend’s win, with Matty Godden and Callum O’Hare starting in place of former PNE loanee Matty James and Max Biamou.

That meant City retained the same back six from the win against Barnsley with Ben Wilson in goal, Julien Dacosta and Sam McCallum at wing back and Leo Ostigard, Kyle McFadzean and Dom Hyam at centre back.

Captain Liam Kelly and Gus Hamer joined O’Hare in midfield with Godden and Tyler Walker leading the line in the 3-2 success.

please log in to view this image

Match Officials
For the first time in two and a half years, experienced referee Andy Woolmer will take charge of a Lilywhites game on Saturday.

His last game was a very memorable one, as it took place at Ipswich Town in November 2018, when Paul Gallagher scored and went in goal in the same game, after Chris Maxwell’s red card!

That was his first North End game since the final day of 2016, when we drew 1-1 with Sheffield Wednesday at Deepdale, so he has not been a regular official for the North End – with two in five years.

However, that Owls game was one of four games that Woolmer took charge of a PNE game in the first half of the 2016/17 season; as well as overseeing the points being shared with Wednesday, the Northamptonshire-based official also took charge of our EFL Cup win over Hartlepool United early in the campaign, late September's 2-2 draw at Birmingham City and November’s 3-1 win at Rotherham United that year.

The season prior to that he took charge of PNE twice, the clash again between North End and Sheffield Wednesday, at Hillsborough in October 2015, and then in March of 2016, the 1-1 draw at home to Queens Park Rangers.

His first game in charge of the Lilywhites was way back in January 2005, when he was the referee for our 2-1 victory over Crewe Alexandra and he was also referee on Good Friday 2015 for a win over Rochdale, preceded by the 2013 home win over Stevenage, when Lee Holmes and Will Hayhurst were on target for then manager Simon Grayson’s men.

His last trip to St Andrews was to take charge of Birmingham in March, whilst he has refereed the Sky Blues three times, two away defeats and a goalless draw at home to Luton Town in December

So far this season he has officiated 30 games, issuing 88 cautions and just one red card. This Saturday he will be assisted by Graham Kane and Michael George, whilst experienced Championship referee David Webb will act as the fourth official.

 

Alan Browne's penalty midway through the second half was enough to earn Preston North End back-to-back league wins for the first time in 2021 against Coventry City.

The breakthrough came when Ched Evans was brought down by Coventry goalkeeper Ben Wilson.

Preston had the best of the chances, as Wilson made first-half saves to deny Ben Whiteman and Ryan Ledson, and also gathered Evans' 35-yard effort.

Coventry looked fairly unthreatening throughout but both teams are mathematically safe after results elsewhere.

 

Coventry City 0 Preston North End 1

please log in to view this image

Preston North End mathematically secured their Championship status, making it back-to-back wins thanks to Alan Browne’s second half penalty against Mark Robins’ Coventry City at St Andrews.

Browne converted from 12 yards after Ched Evans had been brought down by goalkeeper Ben Wilson, who was lucky to stay on the pitch and also very lucky not have conceded a second just minutes earlier, but the goal gave PNE a 1-0 win.

Interim head coach Frankie McAvoy made one change from the previous Tuesday’s thumping home win over Derby County, with Sean Maguire starting in attack, alongside Evans, with Tom Barkhuizen dropping back to play in the left wing back role; Greg Cunningham dropping to the bench.

The hosts made four changes from their win at Stoke City, with two injuries seeing former PNE loanee Matty James come back into the middle of the pitch and Mark Robins rotated his frontmen, with Tyler Walker and Matty Gooden replaced by Max Biamou and Viktor Gyӧkeres.

The opening 15 minutes was played, in the main, in the middle third, with neither side getting the upper hand, but on the quarter hour mark Evans had a strong shout for a penalty, as he got the right side of Dom Hyam and seemed to have his leg hooked back as he looked to race on goal, but referee Andy Woolmer saw nothing wrong.

The Sky Blues’ first opportunity came on 20 minutes as Gustavo Hamer fired a ball into the six-yard box, and Max Biamou sliding in, somehow, diverted the ball over Daniel Iversen’s bar from two yards out and a minute later they again went close as Sam McCallum fired on target from 18 yards, Ben Whiteman making a vital block to flick the ball over the bar with his head.

Stopper Wilson was called into his first save in the home side’s goal when a long throw from Barkhuizen was headed out to Whiteman 25 yards out; the goalkeeper parrying it away, falling to Evans on the rebound – at a tight angle – with Hyam making a block, before Wilson claimed.

And the keeper was obviously warmed up, as moments later the ball fell to Ryan Ledson in the middle of the ‘D’, firing a superb left-footed drive goalwards, with Wilson, at full-stretch, getting a strong right hand to tip the ball around the post and bar for the first corner of the game.

With eight minutes to go before the break a glorious chance came from another Barkhuizen throw, this time going across to the right to power the ball in, Jordan Storey clocking it on to Maguire at the back post, but his header was an inch wide of the left-hand post from five yards out.

Just before the interval Hamer was lucky to stay on the pitch with a horrible late and high tackle on Ryan Ledson from behind, the match official pulling out the first card of the game, however, it was only a yellow, when a red would not have been unfair on the Sky Blues’ No.38.

Eight minutes into the second half and the Lilywhites were denied a stonewall penalty as Sean Maguire did brilliantly on the right, threaded Maguire through and Wilson came out, missed the ball and completely took out Evans. It was as clear a penalty as you can see, but Woolmer and his assistant amazingly failed to award the spot kick.

Evans almost caught Wilson out shortly after with a brilliant half volley from 35 yards, that had the Sky Blues’ No.13 back-tracking, eventually claiming the ball under his cross bar, a tough take with the sun in his eyes.

But the penalty PNE should have been awarded minutes earlier was finally given on 67 minutes as custodian Wilson pulled down Evans, after he had got goal-side of him ten yards from the goal. This time Woolmer pointed to the spot, but he should also have red carded the goalkeeper and didn’t even get out a card!

Skipper Browne stepped up to take the penalty and sent Wilson the wrong way, firing hard and low into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal to give the greens a deserved lead.

North End pushed for a second and a Ledson free kick with five minutes left on the left touchline was met by Evans at the front post, but his flicked header was just over the right corner of post and bar and the game ended with another big three points for the Lilywhites.

Coventry City line-up: Wilson, Rose, McFadzean (c), Biamou (Godden, 62), O’Hare (Bakayoko, 74), Gyӧkeres (Walker, 62), Hyam, McCallum, James, Dacosta (Dabo, 74), Hamer (Eccles, 61). Subs not used: Marosi, Allen, Shipley, Burroughs.

PNE line-up: Iversen, van den Berg, Storey, Lindsay, Hughes, Barkhuizen, Ledson, Whiteman (Potts, 78), Browne (c), Evans (Bayliss, 90), Maguire (Riis, 66). Subs not used: Ripley, Bayliss, Molumby, Huntington, Sinclair, Cunningham, Gordon.

Referee: Mr A Woolmer

 

Coventry City manager Mark Robins told BBC CWR:

"It's a real disappointing day in terms of the game but put that to one side - because what we've achieved [confirming Championship status after promotion] is nothing short of a miracle.

"This is the biggest achievement I've had in my managerial career. It has been so tough. Credit to all the players, because they have put an unbelievable amount of effort in.

"The game was horrific. The energy we've used over the last three games has just taken everything out of us. There was effort and commitment, but there was no urgency. It was a dead game, a 0-0 other than a horrific mistake that we made."

Preston North End interim boss Frankie McAvoy told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"I was given an opportunity for eight games and I said I'd give it my best shot. I've done that.

"It's the players that make the difference. They're the guys that go and play. We just get them prepared as best we can to try and win the game."