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Town 4-1 Coventry City
Town 4-1 Coventry City
Saturday, 22nd Sep 2007 20:36

Town continued their excellent home start to the season with a 4-1 victory over Coventry City in front of the Sky cameras. Pablo Couñago scored twice and Jason De Vos and Jon Walters once, while Stephen Hughes netted a late freekick for the Sky Blues.

The Blues lined up as expected with Gary Roberts returning on the left of midfield with Sylvain Legwinski dropping to the bench. Jon Walters moved back to the right flank with Tommy Miller joining Owen Garvan in the centre of the midfield.

Town showed their attacking intentions in the second minute when Walters crossed from the left but neither Roberts nor Alan Lee could reach the ball. At the other end, Jay Tabb sent a shot across the face of goal.

The Blues went in front in the ninth minute. Owen Garvan sent in a freekick from the right to the far post and Jason De Vos nodded the ball down into the net past keeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos for his first goal of the season.

Alex Bruce did well to block a Leon Best shot from the edge of the area on 13. Soon after, the former Southampton man headed over from a corner.

But overall Town were well on top and in the 17th minute a neat interchange of passes between Lee and Couñago saw the Spaniard narrowly fail to reach the Irishman's ball across the box.

A minute later Lee beat the offside trap and broke into the area, but Konstantopoulos saved his shot when a pass to Couñago might have been a better option.

Best shot wide from 25 yards for Coventry, then Ellery Cairo went over from the edge of the box.

Town added to their lead in the 22nd minute. Dan Harding sent a diagonal ball into the box, Jon Walters nodded it down and Pablo Couñago's quick feet took him beyond two defenders before he stabbed the ball past Konstantopoulos and into the net for the second goal of his second spell at Portman Road.

Best continued his attempts to get in a shot which would test Neil Alexander with an effort from the 18-yard line which went wide.


Couñago went looking for Town's third on the half hour, crossing from the right to Gary Roberts, whose shot flew across the face of goal. Soon after, Tommy Miller's 25-yard strike was saved by Konstantopoulos.

Owen Garvan picked up the game's first yellow card in the 33rd minute for a foul on Ellery Cairo, which didn't really seem worth a caution.

Best was allowed time to shoot over on 36, then a Town corner was cleared to Dan Harding and his 25-yard strike cannoned off the post and was put behind.

From the resultant corner, the ball was cleared to Gary Roberts on the left and the former Accrington man sent in a cross which Jon Walters headed powerfully into the net for his second goal of the season.

Tommy Miller might have added the fourth in the 42nd minute after being sent away by Lee, but Konstantopoulos saved again, Roberts looping the rebound over.

The Blues were well worthy of their lead at half-time with Coventry rarely in it aside from one or two clever early touches from former Town target Dele Adebola and several shots around the edge of the area from Leon Best, albeit without Alexander having to make a save.

Coventry might have pulled a goal back in the opening minute of the second period. Bruce chased the ball back to Alexander but failed to make proper contact with the ball allowing Adebola a stab at goal. However, Alexander managed to get in the Nigerian's way twice and the danger was cleared.

On 47 Leon Best picked up the Sky Blues' first yellow card of the game for dispossessing Alexander as the keeper kicked the ball from his hands.

Tabb shot wide from 25 yards, then a Lee strike deflected through to Konstantopoulos before the Blues went 4-0 in front. A corner was cleared to David Wright in the centre circle. The full-back played the ball to Owen Garvan wide on the right, the Irishman sending in a cross which Walters flicked on to Lee at the far post. Town's top scorer's header forced Konstantopoulos into a save but Couñago seized on the loose ball and nodded home from a yard out for his second of the game.

Town largely sat back after the fourth goal and allowed Coventry to take the game to them. An increasingly petulant Best headed wide, then Michael Doyle also missed the target from 25 yards.

Lee's 66th minute shot was too weak to test Konstantopoulos, then a minute later the Greek keeper did brilliantly to save Couñago's clever flick from virtually point blank range after good work from Miller on the right.

Coventry pulled a goal back in the 68th minute after a freekick 30 yards out was played short to Stephen Hughes, who lashed an unstoppable shot beyond Alexander, but there was no way back for the Sky Blues.

Town, or at least the North Stand, felt the Blues ought to have been awarded a penalty in the 71st minute when a blocked Couñago shot appeared to strike a defender's hand but referee Trevor Kettle saw nothing untoward. The official had his cards out a minute later, Ellery Cairo receiving a caution after an off the ball clash with Dan Harding.

Jaime Peters replaced Gary Roberts, then Chris Casement took over from Alex Bruce, who had looked to be struggling with a knock at various times during the second half.

Alan Lee should have made it five with 11 minutes remaining, but his header from Jon Walters's cross was too close to Konstantopoulos.

Sub Michael Mifsud shot wide in the 85th minute before Leon Best was lucky not to receive a second yellow card for a dive inside the penalty area, referee Kettle choosing to ignore him rather than issue a caution.

Billy Clarke replaced Couñago for the final three minutes but the Irishman couldn't add to Town's goals and, with happy Town fans already streaming out of the ground to celebrate in the pubs and clubs, Mr Kettle whistled to bring Town's teatime fixture to a close.

It was a case of more of the same from Town — more of the same as we've seen at home all season at least. Jon Walters was once again superb, scoring one and helping create two more, while Pablo Couñago took his goals well.

Jim Magilton's task continues to be to replicate the excellent current home form in away games. If he can do that, Town could see themselves into the battle at the right end of the table.

Town: Alexander, Wright, Harding, De Vos, Bruce (Casement 78), Garvan. Miller, Walters, Roberts (Peters 74), Lee, Couñago (Clarke 87). Unused: Supple, Legwinski. Att: 18,840.

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Photo: Action Images



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