Source: Telegraph
Coventry City 0 Newcastle United 2: match report
The thing about life in the Championship is that while attractive football is appreciated, it is the capacity to win at all costs that matters, and Newcastle United were a case in point on Wednesday night. [LNB]Like many of their performances, this was not a stunning display, but they got the job done, and moved seven points clear at the top of the table in the process, thanks to goals from Shola Ameobi, and a first from 18 year-old Nile Ranger. [LNB]Championship Round-up: Wolves edge towards promotion as Charlton hang onCoventry, by contrast, play some decent football, and they are in 20th place in the table. They should have gone in at the break ahead, but a scorching Leon Best shot ricocheted off the crossbar, which then denied Michael McIndoe seconds later. [LNB]Beyond this flicker of excitement, there was little for either set of supporters to scream about; but then came the goal, in first-half injury time, a bolt from the Coventry City blue. [LNB]It was a surprise in more ways than one, for it was Newcastle who scored it. They had looked unthreatening for much of the opening exchanges, Nicky Butt was off the pace; certainly not the stuff expected of side leading the Championship. [LNB]It could have been that they were missing Andy Carroll. The 20-year-old forward was omitted from the squad after being questioned by the police over an alleged assault, even though manager Chris Hughton had said he would be included. [LNB]Or maybe it was because Ameobi was playing for the first time since the end of August. [LNB]The striker showed no signs of rust or a lingering foot injury, when he picked up the ball inside the area and found the gap between Keiren Westwood and the left upright. [LNB]Freddy Eastwood offered Chris Coleman's side a glimmer of hope, his side-footer scudding towards the away goal, but Ameobi got in the way. [LNB]But then Jose Enrique swung the ball in from the left, and Ranger was there to tap in from point-blank range. [LNB]And so the rot continues for Coventry. They have still won only two games at the Ricoh Arena all season, and they have not won a game in 10 attempts. [LNB]At least they did not move any further down the table, but one imagines Coleman will take little comfort from that.[LNB]Match details[LNB]Coventry City (4-4-2): Westwood; Clarke (Grandison, 22), Cranie, Barnett, Van Aanholt; Eastwood, Cork (Madine, 85), Gunnarsson (Bell, 85), McIndoe; Best, Morrison. Subs: Ireland, McPake, Hussey, Jeffers. Booked: Cork. Newcastle (4-4-2): Harper; Simpson. S Taylor, Coloccini, Enrique; Pancrate (R Taylor, 77), Butt, Smith, Gutierrez; Lovenkrands (Ranger, 65), Ameobi (Harewood, 65). Subs: Krul, Guthrie, Khizanishvili, Kadar. [LNB]
