BARNSLEY 0
COVENTRY CITY 2 (Best 9, Morrison 82)

IT was all rather flat as the Reds never really gave themselves a foothold in a game that went away from them as soon as Leon Best's controversial early free kick ripped into the back of the net.

With Darren Moore passing a noon fitness test, Reds manager Simon Davey was left with a tough decision to make at the heart of defence after Luke Potter performed do admirably at Lincoln City. In the end Davey went with experience and Moore slotted in alongside skipper Stephen Foster. Daniel Bogdanovic was rewarded for his match winning strike at Sincil Bank with his first start of the campaign. Kayode Odejayi dropped to the bench.

For all their reported injury problems, Coventry named both Best and Clinton Morrison in attack with ex-Red Michael McIndoe providing the ammunition from the left wing.

Coventry had the benefit of a debateable refereeing decision - yet again - on eight minutes after Foster won a header cleanly against a tumbling Morrison. Referee Steve Tanner thought otherwise and gave a controversial free kick right on the edge of the area. Best took it and smacked the ball through the wall and past Luke Steele before he had the chance to move.

Barnsley responded with Jacob Butterfield picking the right pass through Coventry on 17 minutes to send Bogdanovic away but the striker was crowded out of it by Martin Craine and the chance went begging. Coventry almost grabbed a second on the counter just two minutes later as Patrick Van-Aanholt skipped down the left before giving the ball to McIndoe but the winger's cross-shot flew in front of Steele and away.

Jon Macken had the Coventry defence worried on 26 minutes as he cut in from the right to get a shot away but the striker's low drive flew through a crowd of players and wide of the goal.

It took half an hour but the Reds finally settled in the blustery conditions. Macken's header from Adam Hammill's corner almost gave Moore a chance at the back post but the Coventry defence somehow managed to clear the danger.

Call it debateable but Coventry had the benefit of another iffy decision on 35 minutes as McIndoe hit the deck under the slightest of contact from Anderson. This time Sammy Clingan curled the free kick wide of the far post.

Coventry really should have been two up on 38 minutes as McIndoe, Morrison and Best combined to put Isaac Osbourne clean through on goal. Osbourne's effort was woeful - although that's being kind - and the ball squirmed off the outside of his boot and well, well wide.

Barnsley were looking frustrated in the closing moments of the half. Butterfield tried one from 30 yards but his effort cannoned away off Macken and wide of the post.

Coventry almost did the Reds a massive favour on 44 minutes when Stephen Wright stooped to get his head to Hammill's cross and the defender was only a foot from putting the ball past his own keeper.

City were on the front foot right from the start of the second half as Aaron Gunnarsson broke through midfield and was given acres to run into a shoot but his low drive flew wide of the mark. Gunnarsson was again the City dangerman on 53 minutes as he broke down the right hand side before fizzing the ball into the near post but Foster was in the right place to deny Morrison. The wind was playing havoc every time the ball was airborne and Steele was almost caught out on the hour as he let it slip from his grasp but Morrison could not pounce.

Rob Kozluk picked up the first caution of the afternoon on 57 minutes as he lunged through Wright after another Reds foray into the Coventry half came to nothing. Kozluk let himself and the Reds down just two minutes later with a needless lunging challenge on Gunnarsson. The referee defiantly did not need a second invitation to branding another yellow and a red to the full back.

The dismissal finally kick started the Reds and Butterfield drove one a foot wide of the post from 30 yards on 62 minutes before the youngster's cross three minutes later gave Moore a great chance but the big defender just could not get his head to the ball on the penalty spot.

Coventry crafted another clear chance on 67 minutes and once more it was a contender for miss of the season as Gunnarsson raced onto Morrison's flick and through on goal only to volley well, well wide of the mark.

It was all going for Coventry as Westwood clearly gathered Steele's long punt outside his area on 75 minutes under pressure from Iain Hume although the referee was 50 yards away and not in a position to see. Best then brought a smart save from Steele seconds later with a low drive from the edge of the box.

Butterfield picked up a caution on 79 minutes after scything down Osbourne as the Reds frustrations grew. McIndoe could have sealed it a minute later as he found himself in acres of space in the area but blazed high over the bar.

Barnsley had created nothing of note to trouble Westwood although Odejayi managed to get his head to Bobby Hassell's free kick on 81 minutes but the ball bounced harmlessly through to the Sky Blues stopper.

Coventry finally made what had been a routine win safe on 82 minutes as the Sky Blues and Osbourne cut through the Reds defence to give Morrison a simple finish from 12 yards.

Barnsley should have had a penalty on 86 minutes as Jermaine Grandison pulled, pulled and hauled Anderson to the ground as the Brazilian went for Hume's free kick. The referee was stood just five yards away and watching the entire incident but inexplicably gave nothing. At the other end Sean Jeffers found himself clean through on goal moments later but was denied by Steele's fine stop.

Barnsley's one clear chance of the game came deep in stoppage time when Hume's free kick beat everybody and Foster came steaming in but the Reds' skipper was denied by Westwood.

BARNSLEY: Steele, Hassell, Foster, Moore, Kozluk, Campbell-Ryce, Anderson, Butterfield (Sodje 80), Hammill, Macken (Hume 68), Bogdanovic (Odejayi 68).
Subs: Preece, Devaney, Potter, El Haimour.

COVENTRY CITY: Westwood, Wright, Van-Aanholt, Craine (Grandison 72), Turner, Osbourne, Clingan, McIndoe, Gunnarsson, Morrison, Best (Jeffers 80).
Subs: Clarke, Quirke, Caine, Walker, Cameron.

REFEREE: Steve Tanner (Somerset)
ASSISTANT REFEREES:
Dave Bryan (Lincolnshire) and Bobby Madley (West Yorkshire)
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Eddie Ilderton (Tyne & Weir)

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