Matchday Memories: Sky Blues Win At Struggling Stevenage On This Day In…….
On this day (5th October) in 2013, the Sky Blues were dealing with their first time of SISU-induced exile (at Northampton Town’s Sixfields Stadium), and things were looking up for (now CCFPA member) Steve Pressley’s side in the league. After losing their opening to Crawley Town by the odd goal in five, the Sky Blues went unbeaten in their following six League One games (four victories). Prior to today’s game against Stevenage, Steven’s Sky Blues had suffered two defeats, one at Port Vale by the odd goal in five and the other at Sixfields against Brentford. Graham Westley’s men were suffering after losing their last three games. In response to the question, ‘Will the Sky Blues get back on track today?’
Three minutes after the half-hour mark, Sky Blues prolific marksman Leon Clarke scored the game’s lone goal. Leon punished a risky backpass from a Stevenage defender that was far too weak to reach their goalkeeper. City should have at least doubled their lead, but multiple opportunities were missed.
Nonetheless, the result delighted the 1,216 Sky Blue Army members who made up more than a third of the 3,325 people in Stevenage as they made their way home.
You can see some match highlights thanks to former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson by clicking on the link or image below:-
Joe Murphy, Cyrus Christie, Blair Adams, Andy Webster, Jordan Clarke, Conor Thomas, Adam Barton (sub. Jordan Willis -78), Leon Clarke (c), Franck Moussa, Callum Wilson, and John Fleck.
Subs not used: Ryan Haynes, Lewis Rankin, James Maddison, Matthieu Manset, and Lee Burge (gk).
Chris Day, Jimmy Smith, Peter Hartley, Roarie Deacon, Jon Ashton, Michael Doughty, Greg Tansey (sub. Filipe Morais -55), James Dunne, Luke Freeman, Oumare Tounkara (Lucas Akins -68) and Robin Shroot (Daniel Lopez -58) Unused subs:- Sam Wedgbury, Luje Jones, Bruno Andrade and Steve Arnold (gk) Referee: Graham Scott
City completed the double over Stevenage at Sixfields in late March defeating them by the same score, a 67th minute goal from Dan Seaborne (and normally reliable striker Callum Wilson, now a CCFPA member, missed a penalty)!
Despite a reasonably good season, the Sky Blues’ ten-point deduction in August for exiting administration without a CVA resulted in 51 points and eighteenth place (four points and three places above the drop zone) rather than 61 points and tenth place in Division One. Today’s opponents, Stevenage, finished at the bottom of the table.
Champions Wolverhampton Wanderers, followed by runners-up Brentford, climbed out of the division, as did fourth-placed Rotherham United after the playoffs.
Tranmere Rovers, Carlisle United, and Shrewsbury Town, on the other hand, joined bottom club Stevenage in experiencing the dreaded’sinking feeling’!
