Report: Coventry City 1-1 Fleetwood Town
Simeon Jackson's equaliser ten minutes from time rescued a point for Coventry City as the Cod Army were held to a 1-1 draw at the Ricoh Arena.Town took the lead just shy of the 20 minute mark when Andrew Webster headed into his own net after a superb cross from Gareth Evans.
However, City put the pressure on and got their just rewards in the final stages as the sub striker managed to knock the ball beyond the goalkeeper from close range.
Graham Alexander stuck with the same eleven that drew at home to Sheffield United last weekend, with strikers Jamie Proctor and Matty Hughes given another chance together up top.
Goalkeeper David Lucas was the only change to the squad however, as he was named amongst the substitutes in the absence of Liam Bleeker.
The home side started brightly and forced the initiative from the off; Danny Swanson proving a threat in the middle and forcing his side an early corner.
Town responded well though through Jamie Proctor, as he cut in from the right hand side and unleashed a long effort which went over Ryan Allsop’s goal.
Proctor was again in the thick of the action when he played a delightful cross field pass to his strike partner, but he couldn’t quite get the ball out of his feet in a good position.
Sky Blues skipper Jim O’Brien tested Chris Maxwell with a low effort, but the Welshman was equal to his dangerous strike.
Proctor was proving to be a thorn in Coventry’s defence, and forced Allsop to tip his fierce drive onto the bar after quarter of an hour.
The Cod Army got their just rewards on 19 minutes when Evans’ cross was flicked in off the top of Webster’s head for an own goal.
Fleetwood continued to create chances, and Allsop denied Evans from the edge of the box, while at the other end Josh McQuoid saw his effort tipped over the bar.
Antoni Sarcevic very nearly doubled Town’s advantage after half an hour, when he was played in on goal but lobbed just wide of the post.
The combination of Sarcevic and Proctor almost brought a second for Town when the former drove beat his man and drove across goal, but missed the foot of the striker by inches.
McQuoid was the home side’s biggest threat, and he went close just before the break when his shot drifted just wide of the top corner.
Steven Pressley’s side were straight out of the traps at the beginning of the second period, and centre half Aaron Martin went close with a header.
Substitute James Maddison later curled a free kick at Maxwell from just outside the box, but the shot stopper dealt with it comfortably.
Coventry rallied for an equaliser and Town were forced to defend heroically at times, with captain Mark Roberts leading the way.
Alexander’s men were containing the home side without really being able to stamp their authority on the game; a Hughes cross-cum-shot from the right the best opportunity.
Maddison found space in the middle but dragged a shot wide of the post as the Sky Blues looked for a way back into the contest.
And they did find an equaliser ten minutes to go at the Ricoh Arena as the majority of the 10,000 plus crowd rose to their feet as substitute Simeon Jackson scruffily tucked the ball past Maxwell.
Town held on for the final stages of the game and will face Bradford City at Highbury on Boxing Day in their next League One match.