Town’s season got off to a disappointing start with a 2-1 defeat at Coventry City. The Sky Blues went two up through Clinton Morrison’s first half goals, prior to Jon Walters pulling a goal back, but despite putting the home side under pressure, the equaliser wouldn’t come.
The Blues lined up largely as expected in the 4-3-3 formation utilised throughout pre-season. However, Jaime Peters came into the side for Owen Garvan with David Norris taking up the midfield holding role with Colin Healy suspended.
Town started very brightly and after a minute a Liam Trotter pass played in Jaime Peters, forcing Ben Turner into a fine tackle. From the corner, Jon Walters’s attempt on goal was scraped away from under the bar.
The Blues dominated the opening couple of minutes, but the home side gradually took control, winning a series of corners prior to going in front in the ninth minute. Gareth McAuley failed to get his head on Kieran Westwood’s long clearance, Richard Wright came out to the edge of his area, where Clinton Morrison had seized on the ball with his back to goal. The Republic of Ireland striker lobbed the ball over Wright and Alex Bruce on the line and into the net.
It was a poor goal to concede from Town’s perspective, although Morrison’s finish was exquisitely executed.
Town probably should have been awarded a penalty in the 22nd minute when Martin looked to be tripped inside the area when going away from goal. The linesman on the Blues’ right saw neither a foul nor a Coventry touch on the ball with the Sky Blues awarded a throw-in.
Moments later, the home side went further ahead. Town repeatedly failed to clear their lines and eventually a cross came in from the right and Morrison headed past Wright at the near post, having got in front of McAuley.
Town had looked lacking in self-belief and had rarely controlled the game since their early impressive spell, although the two-goal lead perhaps flattered Coventry, who had scored with both their shots on goal from open play.
Two minutes before the half hour mark, the Blues pulled a goal back. Martin played a diagonal ball from the left into Walters’s path, the midfielder having got ahead of Coventry’s left-back. Walters took the ball on into the area and hit a shot past Westwood and into the net.
Town appeared to regain their impetus after their goal. McAuley headed over from a corner when he might have done better, then from another corner Pim Balkestein’s flick was deflected behind. McAuley nodded wide from that corner.
The Blues continued to have the better of it in the closing moments of the half, Jon Stead teeing up Martin, who fired over when he should have done much better.
On 43, David Norris broke out of the area quickly, Alex Bruce eventually sending in a cross from the right which Martin flicked over.
Town had started the half strongly, but had surrendered the momentum in the middle of the period when Coventry were allowed to score what were two very poor goals.
The Blues made no changes at the break and came out strongly in the opening minutes, Jaime Peters going very close with a volley from the edge of the area which appeared to deflect wide of goal off a Coventry hand. Referee Russell Booth gave a corner.
Peters went close again in the 49th minute when latching on to a Stead flick, but Westwood did well to stop his shot one-handed.
It was all Town in the early stages, Peters hit another effort wide on 51, Trotter narrowly failing to get a toe on the end. In the same incident Stead and Norris collided, the former Plymouth man requiring lengthy treatment for a knee problem. Five minutes later, Norris succumbed to the injury, Owen Garvan taking over.
Martin curled a freekick over, before Connor Wickham and Tamás Priskin replaced Jon Stead and Jaime Peters.
Town continued to press for the equaliser they fully deserved on the balance of play. Balkestein headed over from a corner when he should have hit the target, then Walters curled a shot just wide from 25 yards.
Westwood saved another Walters effort, this time a header, then from the subsequent corner the ball came out to Delaney, who crossed for Balkestein, whose header was headed off the line by Morrison.
As the game moved into the final 15 minutes Trotter sent away Wickham, but the youngster was wrongly flagged offside. Moments later, Martin shot straight at Westwood.
On 81 Wickham was again played through on goal, Martin putting the ball in the net from a rebound after the sub’s shot had been blocked but very latterly the linesman’s flag was raised and again incorrectly.
Coventry managed their first serious shot of the second half in the 83rd minute when sub Jordan Clarke broke on the left but Bruce came across to block.
There was a scare for the home side with two minutes remaining when Martin’s shot took a huge deflection, but fortunately hit Westwood’s feet. The former Carlisle keeper and defender Elliott Ward failed to deal with a long ball soon after with Martin chasing, but the ball ran wide of goal without being touched by either Coventry player.
Town kept pushing as the match entered five minutes of injury time but the only save in the final stages came at the other end, Wright stopping a shot from Sammy Clingan.
The Blues were made to pay for two bad defensive errors in the first half during the only period in the game when they weren’t on top. Westwood’s long kick ought to have been cleared, while the Blues had the chance to get the ball away from goal on several occasions prior to the cross which led to Morrison’s second goal.
At the other end, Town had more than a few chances to grab enough goals to turn the defeat into a win but, while Westwood made a number of decent saves and a few important decisions went against Roy Keane’s side, as last season the Blues looked lacking in self-belief in and around the area.
Overall, the defeat was harsh on Town, but if goals are given away in the manner that they were and chances aren’t taken, matches are always likely to be lost.
Town: R Wright, Bruce, Delaney, McAuley, Balkestein, Norris (Garvan 56), Trotter, Peters (Priskin 66), Walters, Martin, Stead (Wickham 66). Unbused: Supple, Colback, Smith, D Wright. Att: 16,279.