Matchday Memories: On This Day 2019 – Mark’s Men Kick Off Season With Shrimpers Success

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Sky Blue gaffer Mark Robins

Zain in the Sky Blue

On this day two years ago on 3rd August 2019 the Sky Blues got cracking on their new Division One season with a ‘home’ game (in exile) at Birmingham City‘s ground, St Andrews against Southend United.  Their pre-season had produced a mixed bag of results for Mark Robins‘ men with a 2-0 win last time out at Swindon Town but also a behind closed door 4-1 defeat at Huddersfield Town and draws against Northampton Town (1-1 at the Sky Blues’ training camp in Pinatar, Spain) and a goalless effort against a Liverpool U23 side at Rugby Town‘s Butlin Road ground.

There was a reasonable crowd of 6,534 (boosted by 1,o64 fans who had made the trip all the way from Essex) in Birmingham considering it was not an opener in the proper home of the Sky Bluesy. City were to take to the great pitch surface at St Andrews over the season and establish a good record there and it began today with a single goal victory over Southend thanks to a 51st minute strike from 20 yards from (now CCFPA member) Zain Westbrooke.

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Zain Westbrooke celebrates his debut goal

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CCFC Captain Liam Kelly tackles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sky Blues were in control from the off though early chances for Jordan Shipley and Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila were sadly not converted and the two teams went in goalless at half-time. The generally lacklustre Shrimpers strove to give their fans something to cheer in the second period as Nathan Ralph‘s effort was tipped over the bar by CCFC ‘keeper Marko Morosi and Stephen Humphries also hit the bar later.

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CCFC’s Fankaty Dabo blocks a Southend forward

The deadlock was broken as Jordy drifted in from the left to tee up Zain, the midfielder drilling an effort into the bottom corner from just outside the box to register his debut goal for Coventry. In the end it was a relatively comfortable Sky Blues victory facilitated by the visitors who lacked creativity for the much of the game.

Coventry City FC’s contemporary match report can be found by clicking here. Thanks to CCFPA’s Dean Nelson you can watch the match highlights by clicking on the link or video below:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLLdUuKkXgU

The Sky Blues lined up as follows:-

Maxime Biamou in the Sky Blue

Marko Marosi, Fankaty Dabo, Kyle McFadzean, Michael Rose, Brandon Mason, Liam Kelly (c), Zain Westbrooke, Jordan Shipley (sub. Josh Eccles -79), Wesley Jobello, Amadou Bakayoko and Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila.

Unused Subs: Dom Hyam, Josh Pask, William Bapaga, Jack Burroughs, Max Biamou and Ben Wilson (gk).

Max, having left CCFC at the end of last season is now an Association member like Zain.

Manager Kevin Bond put out the following Southend players for this season’s opener.

Mark Oxley, Elvis Bwomono, Nathan Ralph, Luke Hyam (sub. Stephen Humphrys -57), Mark Milligan, Harry Lennon, Sam Mantom, Joe Shaughnessy,  Theo Robinson (sub. Simon Cox -51), Brandon Goodship and Stephen McLaughlin.   Unused Subs: John White, Andre Blackman, Isaac Hutchinson, Charlie Kelman  and Nathan Bishop (gk)     Referee: Craig Hicks

With only the odd setback during the season the Sky Blues were winding up for a storming end of season finish when COVID19 struck the world in general and UK football was closed down early. By the time football was terminated early with ten City matches left to play, the Sky Blues were five points clear at the top of League One at least one game in hand on their closest rivals.

CCFC 2019-20 League One Champs

They were unbeaten (apart from a Fourth Round F.A.Cup reverse on penalties against their ground hosts) in 17 games from December 21st winning eleven of them! They were deservedly awarded the Divisional title and promotion to the Championship! Fortunes for our opponents were not as kins as the Shrimpers were relegated in 22nd place with Tranmere Rovers (21st), Bolton Wanderers (23rd). In addition, Bury who would also have gone down were completely expelled from the league for financial irregularities.

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young & Dean Nelson for sourcing the images

 

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