City earn the plaudits

The Sky Blues earned their first real national exposure for an on-pitch performance since leaving the Premiership with a superb display in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough.

A decent spot on Match of the Day highlighted the chances that City had to win a game in which they fought back excellently after a Marcus Hall error had allowed Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink to open the scoring at the start of the second-half.

The BBC describes what followed: 'dominant Coventry earned a trip to The Riverside thanks to a sweet strike from Stern John, who volleyed in from 12 yards'.

The Sunday Mirror added: 'torn to shreds by rampaging wing man Gary McSheffrey, Coventry won the bragging rights on points - but failed to deliver the knockout blow their flowing display deserved.'

McSheffrey's display also earned the plaudits of the Sunday People, whose reporter Martin Hardy said: 'Gary McSheffrey had the kind of second half you dream about, terrorising makeshift right-back Matthew Bates.'

City's gameplan worked perfectly, as Don Hutchison and Michael Doyle harried, niggled and eventually overwhelmed their midfield counterparts, meaning 'Boro's strikers cut an isolated figure up front.

For the home side, Stern John was excellent in the first-half, never wasting a pass and creating openings with some clever play.

He scored the goal in the second-half with a great finish and City pressed for another but just could not get it, Scowcroft coming closest after more great work by McSheffrey.

A record crowd at the Ricoh added to the good news, hopefully some of them will be back for the Brighton game next week while a replay at the Riverside will add more to the coffers.

And on yesterday's evidence, City have nothing to fear from another game.

McSheffrey has earned all the plaudits over the weekend but Michael Doyle gave a captain's performance, nullifying the threat from Mendieta and Rochemback and allowing his attacking players to do their stuff.

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