Championship Fixture - 10th September 2005 Ricoh Arena, 3:00pm kick-off
 

TEAM LINE-UP'S

Coventry - Bywater, Duffy (Whing), Hall, Page, Shaw, Doyle, Jorgensen (Wood), Flood (Morrell), McSheffrey, Adebola, Scowcroft

Reading - Hahnemann, Murty, Makin, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Convey, Little, Harper, Gunnarsson, Doyle, Lita

MATCH REVIEW

Reading were denied being the first visitors to win at Coventry's new Ricoh Arena after City's Robert Page earned the Sky Blues a share of the points with a 86th minute equaliser. The Royals had earlier taken the lead through Kevin Doyle, his second goal in consecutive games.

Steve Coppell was forced into three changes from the team that beat Burnley at home on Bank Holiday Monday, Nicky Shorey, Steven Sidwell and Dave Kitson were all ruled out through injury. It meant Chris Makin and Brnyjar Gunnarsson started their first League games for The Royals and Kevin Doyle replaced Dave Kitson in attack.

The home side started the brighter testing Reading's backline which resulted in some unfamiliar errors from Marcus Hahnemann who was getting in a pickle with his own back four.

However Reading soon started to come into the game and looked dangerous with Kevin Doyle looking a constant thorn in Coventry's side. Brnyjar Gunnarsson had one of The Royals best chances of the first half but the Icelandic International somehow failed to hit the target from yards out with a header.

Soon after Dele Adebola came inches away from giving his side the lead, the powerful frontman outmuscled and turned Graeme Murty and fired a powerful shot that looked to be heading in before hitting the post and rebounded away to safety.

As half time approached Reading were given a great opportunity to take the lead after being awarded a penalty after Kevin Doyle was pulled back in the box. Up stepped Leroy Lita but his well struck penalty was saved by Bywater in the City goal.

It was an entertaining second half with Reading having a number of opportunities to take the lead. Kevin Doyle came close early on after the break but dragged his shot wide. Doyle eventually did break the deadlock however.

A quick throw-in from Glen Little to Doyle allowed the Irishman plenty of time to hit a shot which was parried by Bywater but Doyle was at hand to tuck away the rebound to give Reading a 1:0 lead.

As the last five minutes approached Reading were put under sustained pressure with Hahnemann first forced into a fine save from substitute Andy Morrell. Then from the resulting corner Morrell was again denied by a marvellous save from Reading's number one.

Though Hahnemann was unable to save from the next corner when Robert Page headed home to earn Coventry a point and remain unbeaten at their new stadium..

Man Of The Match - Ibrahima Sonko
Attendance - 22,074

NEXT OPPONENTS

Crystal Palace (H) - Tuesday 13th September 2005, 8:00pm Kick Off

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