Matchday Memories: On This Day 2015 – See Sizzling Sky Blues Sort Sad Shrews!

CCFC gaffer Tony Mowbray

On this day (3rd October) in 2015 Sky Blue ‘gaffer’ Tony Mowbray‘s men produced a scintillating attacking display at the Ricoh Arena to blow away an in-form Shrewsbury Town who had previously only lost one game (admittedly their last) on their travels all season. The club had identified 11,000 as a break-even figure for the season. The ‘gaffer’ was excited by and grateful for the win which he dedicated to the Sky Blue fans who turned up in decent numbers once more (11,445 including 800 odd fans from Salop) saying,

“I am very satisfied and I’m really pleased for the people who come along to support us; it’s important that they can see their club and their team who they have supported all their lives are trying to do things properly and move in the right direction;at this moment in time it’s going OK at the Ricoh and we have to find that level of performance week in and week out”.

Ryan Kent in the Sky Blue

The Sky Blues put on a sensational show of fast, attacking football which had the Sky Blue Army on the edge of their seats as they maintained their promotion push in League One. Ryan Kent was a real livewire and was involved in everything creative for the home team and the Shrews’ defence survived a number of first half penalty scares in trying to cope with him.

‘Arma’ in the Sky Blue

City’s diminutive  striker Adam Armstrong (on loan from Newcastle United) got a brace which extended his goal tally to eight putting him on top of the Divisional scoring table. However, man-of-the-match was Frenchman Marc Antoine-Fortuné who made both ‘Arma’ goals and also got one himself in between. Marc earned himself a final whistle standing ovation from Sky Blues fans on his first start for CCFC!

‘Arma’ might have had a hat-trick as Marc nicked the designated penalty taker role from him when brought down in the box, picking the ball up to score from the spot himself in first half stoppage time!  ‘Arma’s first came after 26 minutes thumping the ball past a helpless Mark Halstead into the left hand corner of the net after creating some space. Like his opener, his second of the afternoon was a quality finish lashed beyond Halstead on 65 minutes after he took advantage of a slide rule pass from his French striking colleague.

You can see all the best match action from CCFC’s ‘Classic Collection’ on their Facebook page by clicking on the link or picture below:-

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=190395829048888

Marc in the Sky Blue

Tony Mowbray‘s men were (CCFPA members underlined):-

Reice Charles-Cook, Chris Stokes, Romain Vincelot, Reda Johnson, John Fleck (Bryn Morris -77), Adam Armstrong, Sam Ricketts (c), Aaron Martin, Jacob Murphy (Ruben Lameiras -82), Marc Antoine-Fortuné (Marcus Tudgay -81) and Ryan Kent

Unused subs:  Conor Thomas, Jim O’Brien, Ryan Haynes and Lee Burge (gk)

Micky Mellon‘s Shrews lined up as follows:-

Mark Halstead, Matt Tootle, Jermaine Grandison, Nat Knight-Percival, Abu Ogogo, Mat Sadler, James Collins (Tyrone Barnett -70), Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro, Larnell Cole, Liam Lawrence (c) and Sullay Kaikai  Unused subs: Ian Black, Junior Brown, Liam McAlinden, Mark Ellis, Jordan Clark and Jayson Leutwiler (gk)   Referee: Chris Sarginson

Former young Sky Blue defender Jermaine Grandison was returning to his former stamping ground today and future Sky Blue Abu Ogogo was also in the Shrews side as was Junior Brown unused on the subs bench.

Aaron Martin in Sky Blue action

Today’s win kicked off a purple patch for City in the league with an unbeaten run of six wins and four draws which lasted until mid December. Sadly, this promising first half of the season was not maintained in the new year. For example, despite scoring first from a fourth minute goal from (now CCFPA member) Aaron Martin the Sky Blues contrived to lose 2-1 in the return in Shrewsbury in early March. 

Thus the Sky Blues. who had once harboured serious promotion aspirations, had to be content with an eighth place finish just shy of the playoffs. Top of the tree this season were Wigan Athletic who were promoted along with runners up, a couple of points behind, Burton Albion and sixth placed Barnsley (after the playoffs).

The Shrews had a bit of an escape at the other end of the table finishing in twentieth spot just ahead of the relegated quartet of (in descending order) Bolton Wanderers, Blackpool, Colchester United and, at the very bottom, Crewe Alexandra.

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.