The Championship game between Coventry City and Barnsley at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday Jan 9 2009.
With the Ricoh Arena pitch still buried under two inches of fresh and unforeseen snowfall hours before kick-off, there was a touch of sympathy and logic in Chris Coleman’s pre-match call for the implementation of a winter break.
Speaking in his programme notes, the Coventry City manager was adamant that the big freeze currently crippling football nationwide is proof that a two-week pause is necessary. Ironic then, that a break this term would have seen his side miss out on their third consecutive home win.
As one of just three Championship fixtures to survive the snow, table positions will need to be taken with a pinch of salt, but the Sky Blues appear in fine form – however, Coleman was in no mood to dwell on success.
“That’s the worst we have played for six weeks,” he said. “We are not playing well and we have got to improve. Defensively today we were very poor and individually not very good. We have played a lot better than that and lost. But credit to them, they dug it out.”
Coventry opened with trepidation and uncertainty fitting a pitch still laden with snow, but slowly they thawed and Stephen Wright’s overlap and subsequent cross found Freddy Eastwood who headed the opener.
Sammy Clingan then announced his return to the league after a long-term injury in style with a lashed – albeit marginally deflected – volley minutes later. His return was then reinforced with a convincing double debut cameo from Gary Deegan and Carl Baker who arrived from Bohemians and Stockport County respectively.
Despite a marked improvement and a John Macken header after the break for Barnsley, Coventry substitute Clinton Morrison delivered the killer blow in added time.
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