Off form Town dropped more home points as they drew 1-1 at home to Coventry. Marcus Bent put the Blues ahead on 16 minutes but Micky Doyle equalised for the visitors just after the half hour. Town probably had the better of the second half but failed to grab the winner, sub Ian Westlake coming closest.

The Blues lined up 4-3-3 with Pablo Couñago up front with the two Bents. Contrary to a newspaper report yesterday Dean Bowditch started on the bench.

Coventry player-manager Gary McAllister had the first chance of the game, taking a clever freekick after a foul by Drissa Diallo. The former Liverpool man was played the ball and took it to the right of the wall before hitting a shot which was blocked.

On four Patrick Suffo, a former colleague of Georges Santos and Marcus Bent at Sheffield United, hit a snapshot just by the post after a deep corner was headed back into the box.

For Town Georges Santos hit a shot over the bar from 25 yards after a Magilton lay-off had ended a fine move down the right.

Referee Frazer Stretton annoyed the Town support as early as the 11th minute when Micky Doyle appeared to catch Fabian Wilnis in the face with his elbow. The Dutchman crashed to the floor and must have been as surprised as anyone to discover the referee had awarded a freekick to Coventry.

Stretton capped the incident off by failing to allow Wilnis back onto the field for some while after his treatment had been completed.

Town went ahead on 16 as a cross came in from the left and was blocked by what looked like a hand. With the crowd appealing for a spotkick the ball ran out to Marcus Bent on the edge of the area who struck a shot past the unsighted keeper and into the net.

Coventry could have been back on terms three minutes later when McAllister, at the heart of everything for the Sky Blues, threaded in a pass through for Suffo. The Cameroonian took the ball beyond the on-rushing Davis and took a very obvious dive which failed to fool referee Stretton. Had he stayed on his feet he would have had a relatively simple task of playing the ball into the net.

Couñago, once more generally less effective than last season, hit a shot across goal in the 24th minute before Doyle struck a shot from 18 yards which a Town defender deflected over the bar.

The Blues ought to have been two ahead on the half hour when Couñago broke through beyond Staunton with keeper Shearer rushing quickly from goal. The Spaniard lobbed him but put the ball just wide of the post.

The miss was to prove crucial just a minute later. The dangerous Suffo crossed deep from the right to Doyle who cut inside Wilnis before hitting a low shot past Davis to the keeper's left.

Just before the break, with his side having much the better of it, McAllister played a ball over the top for Doyle. The Coventry goalscorer tried to flick the ball over Kelvin Davis but the keeper leapt high to spectacularly keep the ball out.

Town had once again had a disappointing half with the midfield rarely effective as an attacking force. It was little surprise that Joe Royle made a switch at half-time, Ian Westlake coming on for Pablo Couñago as the formation moved to 4-4-2.

Richard Naylor was unlucky to receive a yellow card in the opening minute of the half after he appeared to stumble over onto the ball rather than actually foul anyone. Referee Stretton decided otherwise and continued to be jeered by the Town support. Not long after he gave a throw-in to Coventry when the ball had clearly been headed out by a Sky Blue player, increasing the level of derision from the stands.

On 47 Darren Bent broke down the right and put the ball across the face of goal but just in front of Santos and Westlake as they ran in on goal.

Play swiftly moved to the other end where Diallo and Dele Adebola clashed, the Town player going into the book for a foul on the former Birmingham player.

Darren Bent hit a shot just wide from the edge of the area a minute later after a good move, the switch to 4-4-2 appearing to improve the balance of the side.

Patrick Suffo, booed for his first half dive by the Town support, was again on the end of abuse after lengthily going to ground after a perfectly good challenge by Santos inside the penalty area. Surprisingly, given that there was no indication of a head injury, referee Stretton stopped play for him to be treated with Town in a promising position.

The referee received more words of advice and description from the crowd when he failed to show Andrew Whing a yellow card for a wild challenge on Ian Westlake on halfway, by the touchline.

Kelvin Davis had largely been a spectator during the second half but just before the hour he did well to tip Suffo's 20-yard dipping shot over the bar.

A minute later the Town keeper cleared from Adebola on the edge of his area but was left stranded as Graham Barrett hit a shot goalwards. Fortunately for the Blues Richard Naylor was on hand to boot the ball from the line.

On 63 Darren Bent crossed from the right but a defender got a crucial foot in ahead of Marcus Bent six yards out.

Soon after Davis was out to head a long ball clear, clashing with Adebola who predictably went to ground and stayed there. Georges Santos was replaced with Jermaine Wright on 64, the ex-Crewe player greeted by boos as he took to the field.

Town had had the better of the second half without firing on all cylinders, once again the temptation for an extra pass on the edge of the area was evident while passes and crosses were often too long or hit defenders.

Darren Bent went close to putting Town ahead in the 76th minute, chasing a ball over the top on the left and flicking it over Shearer but without the power to make it over the line before Calum Davenport cleared.

Joe Royle sent on Dean Bowditch for Darren Bent in the 78th minute, the younger striker quickly getting involved in the action. His 83rd minute cross from the right was cut out by Whing with Marcus Bent about to pounce.

With a minute remaining Marcus Bent crossed from the right towards the impressive Westlake arriving in the box but his scuffed six-yard effort was easy for Shearer to claim when the Blues should really have been back in front.

Town continued to press for an equaliser without looking overly threatening, Bowditch trying a few tricks including one excellent nutmeg. However, his subsequent low cross into the box only went as far as the first defender.

At the whistle there were boos at more dropped home points and a draw was probably a fair result. Coventry had the better of the first half when Town's 4-3-3 didn't really work but in the second the Blues were on top without ever reaching their best.

The reduced numbers in midfield in the first half led to a tendency for defenders to play it long due to a lack of options. With the fourth man on in the second, Westlake having a more than adequate game on the left, the midfield looked more in the game. Jermaine Wright also had one of his better afternoons despite the boo-boys.

Overall though, Town still don't look as much of a force as they ought to, particularly up front. At the back Richard Naylor hardly put a foot wrong while Kelvin Davis made a couple of fine saves.

Three games into the season and the Blues are still to really gel with the most effective formation still undecided. Last week at Crewe Town were poor with a 4-4-2 and better in a 4-3-3. This week the opposite was true.

A win at Wigan would go a long way to getting the season back on the rails after a start to the season where the side has failed to play to its potential.

Town: Davis, Wilnis, Makin, Diallo, Naylor, Magilton, Miller, Santos (Wright 64), Couñago (Westlake 46), D Bent (Bowditch 78), M Bent.

Photo: Action Images

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