The reserves missed a great chance to beat Arsenal at
Highfield Road last night. The ‘Gunners’ who included Alex
Manninger in goal and Stephen Hughes in midfield led 1-0 at half-time,
but in the second half Manninger saved Barry Quinn’s penalty, before
Paul Hall scored an equaliser for a 1-1 result.
On balance however Coventry were happy to take one point from a
tight match. Tommy Black headed Arsenal ahead in the 21st
minute from James Harper’s centre and Coventry, who included Mo
Konjic, found it difficult to make headway.
In the second half Coventry had more of the game however and Hall
was chopped down as he raced into the penalty area in the 54th
minute. But Manninger read Quinn’s intentions and dived to his right
to push out the spot kick.
Coventry levelled the score nine minutes later with a brilliant
solo goal by Hall. He collected a sloppy back pass from Arsenal’s
Greg Lincoln and twisted and turned his way past the two central
defenders before rifling a shot into the corner of the net.
Near the end Coventry had an escape when Steve Ogrizovic parried
Black’s fierce shot to Julian Gray, but before the Arsenal man could
shoot into the empty net Ian Brightwell flung himself full length to
make the block.
