Reports on Coventry's Win at QPR

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Sunday Times/Ivo Tennant
QPR 0 Coventry City 1: City take Central line to success
For Coventry City a victory achieved and just about merited, through a characteristically muscular surge and purposeful shot by Dele Adebola. This was not exactly against the run of play, because QPR, the gifted Lee Cook apart, simply were not sufficiently creative. They conceded the winning goal almost immediately after half time and did not impose themselves thereafter. What was more, Coventry were non-plussed by being forced as a result of heavy traffic, to complete their journey to Loftus Road by tube from Hanger Lane. They arrived 40 minutes before kick-off.
"The fans we travelled with couldn’t believe it,” said Coventry manager Mickey Adams. ”It just shows all that talk about pre-match preparation is nonsense.”
“We bought 23 single tickets at Hanger Lane station. We took a bit of stick from West Ham and Fulham fans, but our unsung hero was Jay Tabb. He knew we had to change at Hammersmith and then go to Shepherd’s Bush.”
Tabb, a former Brentford player, was rewarded with being left out of the side.
As for Rangers, they were too reliant on Cooke, as John Gregory, their manager, admitted. In a first-half of much midfield congestion, a fair amount of head-tennis and neither team achieving any superiority, there were but three chances: one to Coventry in the form of Colin Cameron swinging and scuffing an excellent opportunity a few yards from Simon Royce’s goal.
The second fell to Rangers midway through the half. Nick Ward glimpsed a clear sight of Andy Marshall’s posts and timed his drive well enough, only for it to be parried for a corner. His team had won their previous three matches with some aplomb, including a memorable victory over Cardiff, the leaders. But where was the flair now? Where was Stan Bowles, that highly skilled Loftus Road entertainer, who was featured at length in the match program? In fairness to Rangers, they could be said to have looked more forceful at set pieces.
They lost Dexter Blackstock through a cheekbone injury shortly before the interval. Ray Jones, his replacement, had an attempt with just about his first kick, which went wide. The best chance of this period followed immediately afterwards when Cooke’s left-footed drive was blocked at full stretch by Marshall. After half-time, a chance and then a goal for Coventry. First Leon McKenzie squandered a fine opportunity with his left foot, which was closely followed by Adebola receiving from Michael Doyle and striking, also with his left boot, past Royce.
If anything was going to settle this match, it was that kind of raw, bustling strength. Or, just conceivably, the intricate ability of unquestionably the most talented performer on the pitch. Cooke, who is being watched by Tottenham, Everton and Aston Villa, looks a Premiership player. He can beat a man, crosses well and, at the age of 24, will only improve.
Unfortunately for him yesterday, he could not pick out his colleagues to the extent of making an impression on the score-line. Coventry just about survived five minutes of injury time. ”A lot of our players looked at him and asked after him to get us out of jail,” said Gregory. “We didn’t deserve to win and in the first half hour I didn’t recognise anyone on our team. I really thing it will do us the world of good to be defeated.”
Sunday Times

People Ratings:
QPR: Royce 7 - Mancienne 7, Rehman 6, Stewart6, Bignot 6 - Ward 6, Bailey 5, (Rowlands, 56mins, 6), *SMITH 8, Cook 6 - Nygaard 5, (Gallen, 57mins, 6), Blackstock 5 (Jones, 44mins, 6).
COVENTRY: Marshall 6 - Duffy 6, Page 7, Ward 7, Hall 7 - Currie 7, (Kyle, 84mins), Doyle 6, Cameron 6, Clarke 6 - McKenzie 7, *ADEBOLA 8. Ref: C. Penton 7 .
[Sunday People]

Reuters -Tube travel is just the ticket for triumphant Coventry
LONDON, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Coventry City's squad had to hurry to use the London Underground to get to their second division game at Queens Park Rangers on time after the team coach was stuck in traffic on Saturday.
"We decided to get on the tube," manager Micky Adams told reporters after the 1-0 victory at Loftus Road.
"We bought 23 single tickets at Hanger Lane station and our unsung hero was midfielder Jay Tabb, who knew we had to change at Hammersmith to get to our Shepherd's Bush destination. I felt a bit sorry for him as I did not even put him in the team." Adams said his players mixed with supporters of West Ham United and Fulham during their tube ride.
"We took a bit of stick from West Ham and Fulham fans and got to the ground 40 minutes before kickoff," he said. "Everyone talks about preparation but this proves it is a load of nonsense."
The win lifted Coventry to ninth place in the 24-team division.
Observer

BBC QPR 0-1 Coventry
Dele Adebola earned Coventry their fourth Championship away win of the season and ended QPR's three-match winning streak.
Adebola struck soon after the break, turning away from Zesh Rehman to stride on and drill his shot past Simon Royce.
Darren Currie and Leon McKenzie, with a diving header, both missed chances to extend Coventry's lead.
Rangers' last chance for a point disappeared when Kevin Gallen's header was saved by keeper Andy Marshall.
QPR manager John Gregory:
"We did not deserve to win today. After the run we have been on, people just expected us to turn up and roll Coventry over.
"So this was the first time for a while most of our player have been under pressure, but it will do us good.
"Lee Cook was outstanding today, but a lot of the players seemed to be looking at him and saying `get us out of jail, Cooky'."
Coventry boss Micky Adams:
"Dele Adebola has been frustrated by the relative lack of first-team opportunities he has had this season.
"But he led the line well today, and scored a good goal.
"His form at the beginning of last season was outstanding, and, if he rediscovers that, it will be very hard for me to leave him out."
QPR: Royce, Mancienne, Rehman, Stewart, Bignot, Ward, Bailey (Rowlands 56), Smith, Cook, Nygaard (Gallen 56), Blackstock (Ray Jones 44).
Subs Not Used: Thomas, Milanese.
Booked: Ward.
Coventry: Marshall, Duffy, Page, Ward, Hall, Currie (Kyle 84), Doyle, Cameron, Clarke, Adebola, McKenzie.
Subs Not Used: Gonzlalez-Robles, Birchall, Bischoff, Tabb.
Booked: Duffy, Hall, Kyle.
Goals: Adebola 48.
Att: 12,840
Referee: C Penton (Sussex).
BBC

INDEPENDENT - Go down the Tube and come up smiling By Tom Collomosse
Dig for victory? Coventry City went underground and came up with three points after a drama involving a coach, a manager, two Tube trains and a lad from Tooting.
Micky Adams, the Coventry City manager, must have been a fan of the mod revival in the Eighties. When he heard about the jam his thoughts immediately turned to going underground. He led his band of Sky Blues to the nearest Tube station to their north-west London hotel for a Championship game against Queens Park Rangers.
"None of the fans could believe their eyes when they saw us," he said. "We took a bit of stick from West Ham fans and Fulham fans, but our unsung hero was Jay Tabb." The lad from Tooting was the only one of the travelling band who knew they had to change at Hammersmith to get to Shepherd's Bush. "I feel a bit sorry for him as well," Adams said, "because I did not even put him in the team."
Tabb had to make do with an afternoon on the substiitutes' bench once the interpid travellers had walked down from the station through west London shoppers and football supporters to get to Loftus Road. That at least gave him a ringside seat as Coventry tied The Hoops in knots.
"We got to the ground at 2.20pm [for a 3pm kick-off], went on to the pitch and won 1-0," Adams explained with glee. The Tube trip and the late arrival was certainly a novel way of setting about collecting three points, especially since so many players and clubs put their faith their own special set of pre-match routines.
As Adams said: "Everyone talks about preparation, but this proves it is a load of nonsense."
Independent