Two Richard Logan goals saw Town to victory at Portman Road tonight with a late Jairo Martinez goal too little to draw Coventry level.

The first half began and Town keeper Keith Branagan soon found himself in trouble. The ex-Bolton player, back after a knee problem, landed himself in hot water when a hoof from a Town defender looped back over his head towards him. Branagan made a catch within the area, but the ball was deemed to have been a pass back. The freekick was harsh in the extreme as was the booking Branagan received. Luckily for Town the freekick was wasted.

Manu Thetis, taking his place on the Portman Road turf for the first time in a while, got in a trademark scythe fairly early, but made little impression on the game otherwise. He was replaced, presumably suffering from injury, just before the half hour.

Town had lined up with a back four of, from the left, Gary Croft, John Scales, Manu Thetis and Justin Miller. Amir Karic took up a left midfield role while Martijn Reuser played in the centre of midfield with Ashley Nicholls. Sean Friars played wide ion the right. After Manu's substitution Nabil Abidallah was introduced to the fray on the right on midfield with Friars moving to his customary left wing position, Miller to his usual centre-half spot, Karic to his normal left back role and Croft to the right.

It was not long after this that Town went ahead. A swift ball into the box from right edge of the penalty area was whipped home on the volley by Richard Logan. It was a fine goal and was scored at a time when Town were really starting to get their teeth into the game. Amir Karic had come close with a bullet shot that only just went over and Nabil Abidallah might have done better when getting on the end of a couple of crosses.

At the other end Jay Bothroyd had had the best of the Coventry chances. Branagan saved a shot to his nearpost very well before Bothroyd flicked a header just wide from the resulting corner. Then fifteen minutes in, after a Thetis bungle, Bothroyd found himself one-on-one with the Town keeper and seemed to have got past him. However, Branagan managed to get an arm back and grabbed the ball from his feet.

The second half saw Town largely dominant. Abidallah had a period when he did well down the left, but seems a bit lightweight as yet for inclusion in the first team. Twice in a minute he went close with shots, one of which fizzed just over while the other went just wide.

Martijn Reuser was looking hungry for the ball in midfield and much of Town's best play was through him. Amir Karic was showing the Town fans his stuff far more than he had in previous reserve games and was getting forward down the left wing well.

It was just such a run which saw Town go further ahead. Karic got to the byline and with the penalty box with Midgley and Logan in the middle he picked out Abidallah coming in from wide at the far post. Abidallah tapped the ball back inside to Logan who made no mistake.

For most of the rest of the game it was mainly Town. Karic had a firm shot well-saved, while Reuser went close while Logan could have completed his hat-trick but the ball was stopped by a defender. Karic received a booking for a succession of fouls.

With many fans starting to leave the bitterly cold ground Coventry pulled one back. The possibly offside (linesmen were poor all evening) got on the end of a cross in front of the Town defence and put the ball past a helpless Branagan.

Referee Crossley had time to book Logan for kicking the ball away when he had been adjudged to have pulled back a defender late on and the game was over. Impressive on the night for Town had been Logan who took his two goals well, Abidallah in places and Karic. John Scales and Justin Miller also had particularly solid games with several excellent forays forward from the South African youngster.

Town side: Branagan, Croft, Miller, Scales, Thetis (Abidallah), Karic, Reuser, Nicholls, Logan, Midgley, Friars. Unused subs: Niemi, Westlake, Ambrose and Bent.

Photo: Action Images

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