Matchday Memories: On This Day 2006 – CCFPA Members Score Five As Sky Blues Scupper Shrimpers
On this day (13th October) in 2006 the Sky Blues, for the time being managed by former player (and now CCFPA member) Micky Adams, continued their fair-to-middling Championship season in fifteenth spot having won four and lost five of their ten league games so far. This included two successive 1-0 defeats in their last two games at Crystal Palace and home to Plymouth Argyle. Today they had travelled to Essex to take on Southend United who were currently occupying one of the three relegation places and desperate to get out. However, the Sky Blues pulled a rabbit out of the hat to gain their first away win of the season by the odd goal in three to keep the Shrimpers in the mire. An interesting footnote to the game is that all four of the goalscorers later became Association members!
Sky Blues Manager Micky had made five changes from the Argyle defeat and reverted to a 3-5-2 formation. This was City’s first visit to Roots Hall since 1963 and the Sky Blues made the most of it. However, they had to come from behind, replying before half-time to a 29th minute opener from a penalty by future Sky Blue striker (and now CCFPA member) Freddy Eastwood which was awarded for a penalised shove on Southend’s Luke Guttridge by CCFC’s Matt Heath.
The equaliser came three minutes before the half-time whistle from (now CCFPA member) Stephen Hughes, his first goal in two years!
Colin Cameron‘s penalty goal (after Leon McKenzie was fouled in the box) for City two minutes into the second half completed the turn-round as the Sky Blues went into a 2-1 lead but they couldn’t hang on to it as Freddy Eastwood completed his brace on 73 minutes to equalise.
It was left to City’s popular striker (along with Colin and Leon, yet another CCFPA member now) ‘Dele Adebola to prod home the Sky Blues’ winner ten minutes before time to send the 788 Sky Blues fans amongst the 9,832 crowd back to Coventry feeling very happy!
A contemporary report from BBC Sport including interviews with both managers can be found here.
Micky’s men lined up as follows (CCFPA members underlined):-
Andy Marshall, David McNamee, Marcus Hall, Robert Page, Elliott Ward, Matt Heath, Stephen Hughes, Colin Cameron, Leon McKenzie, ‘Dele Adebola and Michael Doyle.
Unused Substitutes: Isaac Osbourne, Kevin Thornton, Kevin Kyle, Jay Tabb and Don Hutchison
As can be seen all the players bar Kevin in the Sky Blue squad today (plus their ‘gaffer’ WGS) later became Association members we are proud to say!
Steve Tilson‘s Shrimpers took the field as follows:-
Darryl Flahavan, Simon Francis, Steven Hammell, Luke Guttridge, Spencer Prior, Adam Barrett, Lewis Hunt (sub. Jamal Campbell-Ryce -86), Kevin Maher, Freddy Eastwood, Matt Harrold (sub. Gary Hooper -80) and Mark Gower. Unused Substitutes: Peter Clarke, Billy Paynter and Steve Collis (gk) Referee: Darren Drysdale
Sunderland were promoted to the Premier League top of the Championship at season’s end. Runners up Birmingham City also went up to the top flight along with (via the Play-offs) third place Derby County. Todays opponents Southend United went down in 22nd spot along with Luton Town and, bottom of the pile, Leeds United. Leeds had been deducted ten points but would have still gone down without the deduction.
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young (& Dean Nelson) for sourcing the images.