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| COVENTRY CITY RESERVES 0-1 IPSWICH TOWN Regular reserve team watchers know that if City Reserves field a strong team at home, they are highly likely to lose, so a victory for Ipswich was not unexpected. City Reserves who had beaten Northampton 2-1 in a behind closed doors friendly a fortnight ago with goals from McSheffrey and O'Neill, fielded a surprising team which saw Paul Telfer given his first start since breaking his ankle at Villa Park in May. Telfer had also been out of contract and must have either signed a contract or some other form so that he could play. Trevor Peake also name a side that included Marcus Hall,Barry Quinn,Zuniga,Keith O'Neill and Gavin Strachan who is reported to be surplus to requirements. There was only one goal in the game and it came in the fourth minute when City's defence was caught static and Ambrose headed straight at Per Fahlman. In the best traditions of Swedish goalkeeping, Fahlman flapped the ball straight at the head of Darren Ambrose who made sure that he benefited from this error by heading into the net from 4 yards. Playing Gary McSheffrey on the left wing just behind Zuniga and O'Neill, City did create chances to get back in the match with O'Neill and Zuniga failing to trouble Andy Marshall in the Ipswich goal.The visitors also created two chances through Westlake and Logan but Fahlman managed to hold the first and the latter was well over the bar. City introduced Lee Fowler for Barry Quinn at the interval. Straight from the kick-off, Logan should have wrapped up the game for the visitors when he cut into the box but his shot went just wide of Fahlman's left hand post. The night was summed up three minutes later when Marcus Hall created space on the left flank but his cross cum shot was high and well wide of the target. In the 55th minute Fahlman was called upon to make the save of the night when he got down well to stop a Logan shot from 7 yards. A minute later, Peake made a double substitution bringing on Craig Pead for Marcus Hall and Runar Normann for Keith O'Neill. Normann who, a few in the sparse crowd of around 90 thought had left the club, had one effort in the 67th minute but hit a volley straight at Marshall from 10 yards Logan again should have put the game well beyond the Sky Blues in the 73rd minute, but the defender formerly known as Tomas Gustaffson,managed to hack Loan's close range effort off the line and away to safety. City did not really attack again until the 83rd minute when Zuniga hit a shot at Marshall and repeated the trick five minutes later. In the last minute, Calum Davenport got down the left flank and cut in on goal and only to be impeded by an Ipswich defender. Despite appeals, referee Tony Green from Hinckley was having none of it and City's hope of snatching a point at the death had gone. If this performance was anything to go by, the poor publicity from the Sky Blues about dates of reserve team matches might be doing many people a favour. Team 1 Fahlman,2 Antonelius,3 Hall (12 Pead 56),4 Quinn (14 Fowler 46),5 Spong,6 Davenport,7 Telfer,8 Strachan,9 Zuniga, 10 McSheffrey,11 O'Neill (15 Normann 56) SNU 13 Richard Brush,16 Brian Ford |