Sky Blues will test us, warns Bristol City boss Steve Cotterill By ANDY STOCKHAUSEN please log in to view this image Luke Freeman wil help Bristol City go for their third win this season against Coventry City at Ashton Gate today Bristol City manager Steve Cotterill is looking forward to locking horns with his old adversary Tony Mowbray when Coventry visit Ashton Gate tomorrow. The pair were rivals when Cotterill managed Burnley, Portsmouth and Nottingham Forest in the Championship and Mowbray was in charge of Middlesbrough and West Bromwich Albion. And Cotterill is determined not to allow his opposite number spoil City's promotion part this weekend. He said: "A few sides have said they wanted to do that to us this season but, fortunately, it has not happened yet." Coventry need the points to ward off the threat of relegation as they are four points above the drop zone, but Cotterill is convinced Mowbray will keep the Sky Blues in the third tier. "Coventry have done well in the last few games, particularly away from home," said Cotterill. "We've already played them twice this season and we know they are a very good team. "Tony has gone in there and they have ended up having a bit of a turnaround. He has changed quite a few personnel around and I am sure Coventry will stay up. "I've known Tony down the years and we've been up against one another a few times. I look forward to seeing him again on Saturday. "I know how Tony's teams play and we have already had two good footballing games against Coventry this season. "I wouldn't want to say they are a good footballing team just because Tony is there, because I thought they tried to play the right way under Stephen Pressley as well. I don't think anything has changed with regard to that." Mowbray insists his players will be up for the challenge of testing themselves against the best team in League One. Speaking before last night's Preston match at Port Vale, Mowbray said: "Everyone is looking forward to the weekend and the challenge. We could be playing the champions if the result goes their way on Friday night. "I've been in that position myself and sometimes you want to finish the job yourself and, whatever the result is on Friday, I'm sure they'll be looking forward to doing the job at home to get the points rather than doing it by someone losing elsewhere. "It's a good game, like a free swing really to go to play the best team in the league and test our credentials, see how far we have come and how far we have to improve to be at the other end of the table. It's a game that, ultimately as a coach, you look forward to test yourself against the best team in the league. "It's not as if Bristol have only got one shot at winning the title, they've got three and I am sure they'll want to do it in front of their home fans. "We have to go to try to win the match. We've won three of the last four away games so, hopefully, we can make life tough for them and try to impose our game on them. You have to be brave when you go to teams at the top of the table and not play with fear. You have to give your team confidence. "And yet the reality is, when the ball starts rolling, you are playing against the best team and they are not there by accident. They are there because they score lots of goals, keep clean sheets and win football matches, and that's why it's a good test." City attacking midfielder Luke Freeman has hailed manager Cotterill for helping him flourish in a central role this season, leading to his nomination for the Sky Bet League One player of the year award. "It's been the greatest week of my career so far," Freeman said. "When I first came to the club I'd only played on the wings, but I think the gaffer has seen potential in me in that different role, something I didn't even see myself in. "He's proven that it can work and I'm grateful to him for that opportunity. In the first couple of months, I found it difficult to adapt. It's more of a thinking role, but I'm enjoying it. "When I was at Stevenage, there was a lot of pressure on me to produce, but across this squad everyone has great quality. It's more about a team performance than individual performances." Freeman, who leads the League One assist charts with 20 to his name in all competitions, is now hoping to crown promotion with a championship medal this weekend. "I'm just delighted to have secured promotion with this group of lads," he added. "We're all aware how long it is since the club won a title (60 years) and that's why we're so desperate to win it. You want to do that in front of the home support and we have that opportunity against Coventry." City Academy players Joe Morrell, Connor Lemonheigh-Evans and Tom Fry have all been named in the latest Wales Under-19 squad for an international friendly against Germany. The trio will travel to Nordhorn for a friendly next Tuesday. http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/...ss-Cotterill/story-26349943-detail/story.html
Cov need the points, so we need to be right on it - suspect Cotts is saying to the team to win it in style - target of 100 points etc
