Match Report: Semenyo the star as City deliver second strong away point in 4 days

[Olé]

Two points in two games might not make up for City boss Nigel Pearson claiming that it may be better if his side played away from home following 2 poor showings at Ashton Gate, and yet despite failing to grab a much needed win, a second successive committed display on the road in 4 days showed more evidence why City can still compete with higher flying opponents and prove their credentials.

Despite an anonymous start, City's ability to lift it directly into Andi Weimann and Antoine Semenyo, quickly put a competitive Coventry side on the back foot, rocked by pace. This after Pearson's side gave up a shameful opener, carved open without breaking sweat - but once they settled they had their hosts rattled as City's two forwards roared onto a succession of swift balls into the channels.

The visitors, in desperate need of a positive result, were in total control within moments of going behind on 12 minutes. Semenyo was full value for his equaliser inside half an hour and City won a succession of corners and seemed destined to go ahead. But after the break Coventry gave as good as they'd got but found Zak Vyner amongst others on top form, and more than deserving of their point.

For such a good display it was odd that City started the New Year out of sorts - and facing one way traffic as Coventry won a series of corners, including when ex midfielder Kasey Palmer slipped a ball into Martyn Waghorn's path left of the box to force Max O'Leary's point blank save. At the other end George Tanner spun Weimann away down the right but his cross evaded Semenyo's lunging header.

It was all the hosts early on and in little more than ten they would embarrass City defenders by pouring through the lines from the right - Kal Naismith particularly weak - and squaring into the box where O'Leary pushed out Jake Bidwell's first attempt and Tanner daydreamed as Bidwell stabbed in the rebound. It was Pearson's men at their worst - static, zonal and brushed aside for a quick opener.

Helpfully it was a much needed wake up. On the quarter hour they won the first of a large number of corners which Weimann far post headed back across goal. City quickly got it back to Nahki Wells who laid the ball off for Tanner, whose low shot edge of the box was wide right. Midway into the half Palmer was robbed for Wells to sprint clear but keeper Ben Wilson beat Semenyo to claim his centre.

By now City had Coventry on the back foot and a deserved equaliser followed. Wells had been a nuisance in the middle third and allowed Weimann to again work space on the right before his deep cross found Pring in the opposite channel, a first cross blocked, a second into a crowded box fired goalward by Wells but blocked, Semenyo swivelling decisively to slam the rebound into the bottom corner.

Pearson’s side were now in full control and the Sky Blues rocking. Wilson came to claim Pring’s deep ball but lost out to Semenyo who laid it off for a cross which forced a desperate corner. Seconds later Semenyo blocked Wilson’s goal kick from a back pass. And then Rob Atkinson met Naismith’s left wing corner - the only time he’d beat his first man - but saw his finish headed clear of the top corner.

Before the break Semenyo was now virtually untouchable, back to his very best holding the ball up and dancing whichever way he wanted with Coventry players unable to get close to him. But there was a warning as Tanner gave it away cheaply following another slick City attacking move, former teammate Palmer almost threading the Coventry striker clear on goal - but well against the run of play.

By half time City should really have been ahead - but after the break Coventry came out with confidence renewed. Within five minutes Viktor Gyökeres danced seemingly unstoppably past City tackles from the left of the box but his lay off to Palmer was easily tidied up by City. Minutes later the ex-Robin pushed up and fed Waghorn on the left of the box, who dragged a shot across the front of goal.

Up the other end Wells squandered possession at the worst possible time having found himself in space on the right, and from the resulting break Coventry fashioned a rapid 3 on 3 - Atkinson doing brilliantly to use all his muscle to slow down Gyökeres run before Vyner raced across and performed a goal saving tackle on the highly rated striker to block the shot. Accomplished defending from City.

Before the hour a curious exchange as Naismith’s free kick in his own half was blocked at close range by the head of a Coventry player clearly not ten yards back. Naismith put it out of play for him to receive treatment, but from the restart not only was the free kick not permitted to be re-taken, but Coventry steamed into the drop ball at Naismith’s restart, showing a distinct lack of class and awareness.

The final quarter of the match was end to end. Vyner sent Semenyo roaring away again down the right but his dangerous ball into the box was beaten away. At the other end Coventry capitalised on a poor City free kick and O’Leary saved at the second attempt from Fábio Tavares stinging diagonal shot. Next Tanner did well to block after Gyökeres got in down the left and cut back for sub Ben Sheaf to finish.

But the chance of the match - and what should have been winner - fell to City inside the last quarter hour as the again unplayable Semenyo powered clear from the right, reminiscent of his explosive runs at Fulham last season, and steamed clear of his marker into the box before poking a cross-shot past the keeper which Weimann tried to bundle home on the goal line but somehow overstretched the ball.

Before the end midfielder Alex Scott - a quietly assured part of City’s quick thinking forward play - found himself making a succession of mistakes with clumsy square balls that surrendered possession to his opponents with players out of position, on the second or third occasion of the half keeper O’Leary was forced to save from Tavares shot on the run. City yet again at risk of being their own worst enemy.

Two late Coventry free kicks - in a match where City had dominated set pieces but seen largely poor delivery from Naismith - threatened to give Pearson’s men the sort of sucker punch they have become used to, but both were well mopped up as the visitors threw bodies between ball and goal to protect their point, indeed the final action was in their favour, a last gasp Naismith right wing corner headed clear.

For the briefest moments Coventry’s home fans might have thought this was going to finish like the equivalent fixture a season ago - with them roaring in a late winner. But the CBS arena felt quieter and more sparsely packed than a year ago and despite recent pressure, Pearson will feel this was another strong point on the road in a performance where City, and Semenyo in particular, was worth three points.

 

O’Leary 7

Vyner 8

Atkinson 7

Naismith 5

Pring 8

Tanner 6

James 7

Scott 6

Weimann 7

Semenyo 8

Wells 6

 

Conway 6

[StGeorge]

Yet again a brilliant report. I was there and forgot some of this. How in Gods name do you remember it and put it down so eloquently.

 

Please keep going

[Davefevs]

Nice to relive this one. Ta Rob

[Shuffle]

Great report & thanks for taking the time to write these @OléWas a good away day & on better chances created we should have won.  Football is all about opinions but didn’t see Naismith as a 5 & made a superb tackle first half when 1.1 as last man.  Only player I thought was well off it was Weimann who was sloppy in possession & inexplicably failed to force ball home for a winner.

A good away & only negative were numpties (albeit not many) “singing you’re getting sacked in the morning”after going 1-0 down as that’s plain ridiculous.

[RedCheese]

Very good report. Atkinson and Vyner were great together. Both James and Naismith were wasteful with set pieces. I do wonder when we will see more of this ‘wand of a left foot’ that Naismith allegedly has in his locker? 

I would have liked to see Tommy come on for Andreas, as he was the weakest link on the day, of the top 3. 
 

Like Shuffle i was sitting near fans making that chant. I wanted the ground to swallow me up! They did make me laugh as they kept singing along with the Coventry support to our right - just changing the words. I doubt they go to many games

 

Chap in front of me said 3-0 Coventry before the game started. I feared he was right after the first 10 minutes, but pleased to see a proper fighting performance from a team who were definitely playing for their Manager. 

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, RedCheese said:

Both James and Naismith were wasteful with set pieces. I do wonder when we will see more of this ‘wand of a left foot’ that Naismith allegedly has in his locker? 

Although James could’ve had two assists from his corner.  One Weimann header cleared off the line by Wells () and one Pring volley cleared off the line by the Cov defender.

Re Naismith, although not on the money yesterday, we’ve seen enough throughout the season to take a negative comment about yesterday as a little bit churlish.