On this day (24th September) in 2011 the Sky Blues, managed by (noew CCFPA member) Andy Thorn shared everything in their Championship game against Reading at the Ricoh, including an early goal each and a missed penalty each! A reasonable crowd of 12,309 had turned up to see the outcome including 815 fans from Berkshire.
The story was simple. The home side took the lead after only two minutes through winger (now a CCFPA member) Gary McSheffrey who fired home from an acute angle after being played in by recent Association recruit David Bell. Then, the Royals striker Simon Church produced a clinical finish eight minutes later following a flowing move and assist from Adam Le Fondre to equalise matters at 1-1.
There was little action of note until City’s visitors missed a penalty chance after twenty minutes. City’s 18-year-old defender (and now CCFPA member) Cyrus Christie brought down Jobi McAnuff in the box. The Royals’ striker Noel Hunt produced a petty tame penalty effort which Sky Blues’ ‘keeper Joe Murphy was able to save, diving to his right, with alacrity and aplomb.
The game remained stalemated through half-time and right into second half injury time when the Sky Blues spurned their own spot-kick chance to win and take all the points. The game had seemed destined to end all-square until our striker Lukas Jutkiewicz was brought down by Kaspars Gorkss in the box following his marauding run in injury-time. Unfortunately, Lukas blazed his 93rd-minute spot-kick over the bar in what was the final kick of the game and we missed out on beating the future Champions of the league.
Church and Shaun Cummings Unused subs: Brynjar Gunnarsson and Alex McCarthy (gk) Referee: Eddie Ilderton
