ALIVE AND KICKING!
CITY WIN CRUCIAL RELEGATION SIX-POINTER AT THE MILLERS Premier League moves fixtures to allow presence of fans
THE penultimate round of Premier League matches will be pushed back so each team can play a home game in front of up to 10,000 fans.
The 37th round will now be played on May 18 and 19, the day after the third step of the Government’s coronavirus road map is scheduled to start.
From May 17 lockdown restrictions are set to ease further, with larger outdoor venues able to welcome 25 per cent of capacity or 10,000 people, whichever is smaller.
Almost as soon as the Government’s road map was published on February 22, the league was understood to have concerns over the impact of only the final round of games on May 23 being played in front of fans and had been working towards rescheduling round 37.
The Premier League has informed clubs about the decision to switch, but it is not expected to confirm the plans until broadcast arrangements are fully in place.
The league’s chief executive Richard Masters stated last month he felt a return to full stadia for the start of the 2021-22 season in August was “an achievable goal”. The Government hopes sports fans will be able to return to venues in significant numbers from June 21, and its Event Research Programme (ERP) is using a series of events as pilots to test the safest and most effective ways to make that happen.
Supporters attending the Carabao Cup final later this month will need proof of a negative lateral flow test in order to enter Wembley.
The top flight was one of 10 signatories to a letter sent to political leaders endorsing the use of a Covid certification status system, whereby proof of vaccination, a recent negative test or antibody immunity must be provided.
LEO Ostigard gave Coventry City a magnificent victory in their epic relegation six-pointer at Rotherham United.
City pressed and battled from the first whistle in a terrific first half from the visitors who had five clear cut chances to score, three of which were denied by some brilliant goalkeeping, and should have been ahead going into the break – Callum O’hare and Matty Godden somehow unable to beat Viktor Johansson with gilt-edged one on one chances.
The Millers, meanwhile, had nothing to show for their effort apart from a thumping shot off the inside of the post from one of several set-pieces – the home side’s only real threat.
Ostigard finally gave City the lead they deserved in the 70th minute, powering home a header from a Matty James’ free-kick ahead of 20 agonising minutes to the final whistle.
City sent an early warning shot across the bows when a cleared ball from a long Sam Mccallum throw into the box fell to Liam Kelly who hit a lovely volley from the edge of the box that looked to be heading for the near top corner until the inspired Johansson tipped it acrobatically onto the bar.
And the Sky Blues looked well up for the challenge in the opening exchanges when they were highly competitive and battling for every ball against the big and physical Millers.
The visitors had another opportunity to score in the eighth minute when Mccallum sent in a deep freekick to the box which fell to Kyle Mcfadzean who could only shoot wide across the face of goal in a big missed opportunity.
But City were kicking themselves on 11 minutes when another freekick into the box fell to Kelly who hit another shot that took a deflection and fell kindly to Callum O’hare who had just the keeper to beat.
But the nippy midfielder couldn’t squeeze the ball past him, Johansson making a block as the ball fell to Matty Godden for a second bite of the cherry, only for the striker to lift his shot over the bar.
City then had to weather a couple of Rotherham corners, the second of which saw Lewis Wing thump the inside of the far post with one hell of a shot that fortunately bounced clear.
But Mark Robins’s men were well up for the challenge, getting in their
opponents’ faces fro the first whistle and incredibly unlucky not to be in front come the half hour mark after six attempts, two of which were on target, compared to just one chance for the home side.
Tyler Walker couldn’t believe his luck in the 35th minute when another long throw from Mccallum fell kindly to him at the far post where he had time to meet and direct a firm header at goal, only to be denied by a brilliant save from the keeper.
The half ended with both sides fuming after a crunching 50-50 tackle between Dom Hyam and Jamie Lindsay, with both players going down hurt but former City skipper Richard Wood doing his best to get Hyam sent off, claiming it was a bad tackle, albeit no cards shown.
The Millers made a more determined start to the second half, again lumping long balls into the box at every opportunity, aided by Coventry who conceded far too many free-kicks in their own half to invite set-piece pressure.
Former Sky Blues wing-back Ryan Giles and striker Freddie Ladapo were thrown on just before the hour as manager Paul Warne looked to increase his side’s threat with more pace and switching to two up top.
But it was City who finally broke the deadlock when Ostigard connected with a Matty James free-kick from the edged of the area to the right of goal, powering a header over the line to finally beat Johansson and give Coventry a deserved lead.
Max Biamou, Viktor Gyokeres and Gus Hamer added fresh legs to help see out the game as City held their narrow lead in a nerve-racking end to the game when Rotherham pushed and City played on the counter attack.
The referee indicated six minutes of agonising stoppage time as Robins’s men defended as if their lives depended on it.