[09 MAY 00] COVENTRY CITY NEWS
Sky Blues Stars Return To Action
The
Sky Blues injury crisis in beginning to ease after three first team
squad members returned to action in the reserves last night.
Swedish
full-back Tomas Gustafsson has shaken off a hamstring injury which has
been troubling him for over a month, and Republic of Ireland
international Barry Quinn has made a rapid return from ankle ligament
damage.
Norwegian
winger Runar Normann was also the side and all three should be
available for the last day of the season trip to Vicarage Road on
Sunday.
A
win would have given Trevor Peake’s side a fourth place finish in
the FA Premier Reserve League but two late goals for Southampton
allowed them to finish above the visitors.
At
one stage it was very doubtful the game would be played at all after
thunderstorm left water sitting on The Dell playing surface, but both
sides requested the tie continue.
The
referee allowed 45 minutes delay to the match before deeming that the
pitch had recovered enough for play to be safe.
It
was an end-to-end encounter and the biggest surprise of was that it
took 86 minutes for a goal to arrive.
Youngster
Stephen McPhee looked lively and seemed to have broken the deadlock
when he fired the ball towards goal in the second period.
However,
the shot cannoned back off the Saints keeper leaving Chukki Eribenne,
who has recently returned from a loan spell at Roland Nilsson’s
Helsingborgs, with a follow up opportunity.
The
striker looked to have converted but the ball cannoned back off the
inside of the post and was cleared to safety by veteran Frances Benali.
It
seemed the spoils would be shared but two strikes in the final four
minutes for Latvian Imants Bleidelis gave the home side the points.
Afterwards
Swedish international Gustafsson admitted it was good be back in
action.
He
said:
“I
am very pleased to have played in a match again after being out for
a number of games.
“I
am just concentrating now on getting my fitness back and I am very
much looking forward to pre-season next year.
“The
aim for me is to build up my fitness and performances to mount a
strong challenge for a first team place.”
|
