Matchday Memories: On This Pre-Season Day 2020 – Dons Downed By Sky Blue Matty & Callum!

CCFC Manager Mark Robins

On this day (August 22nd) four years ago in 2020, the Championship season would not be starting until 12th September so Mark Robins‘ Sky Blues were still in the middle of their pre-season friendlies preparing for the off. All the pre-season preparation was away from Coventry and the club knew their ‘home’ games this season would be in exile at St Andrews as guests of Birmingham City! COVID regulations meant that all games were played behind closed doors.

Matty in the Sky Blue

So far the Sky Blues had not hit their stride pre-season losing in Scotland by two clear goals at Rangers in their opener at the end of July and by 2-1, back in England, in mid August at Swindon Town (Matty Godden got our 86th minute consolation).The U23 side of Wolverhampton Wanderers had also grabbed a 1-1 draw on neutral ground with Robins’ men four days before today’s kick off (recent CCFPA recruit, ‘Cov. Kid’ Jordan Shipley notched that goal).

Sky Blue Shippers

Today, the Sky Blues were looking for their first win away to MK Dons and got what they wanted albeit by the odd goal in five. The friendly was live-streamed for fans! In fact the win was easier than it seemed from the score since the Sky Blues were a goal up after just four minutes thanks to Matty, two up after twenty minutes after Callum O’Hare doubled the advantage and 3-1 up at half-time as Matty doubled up just before the break. Jay Bird of the Dons had pulled one back after forty minutes but it took a 72nd minute own-goal from Sky Blues central defender Kyle McFadzean to make the result look closer than it was.

Kyle in the Sky Blue

A contemporary report from the Dons’ perspective can be found here and from the CCFC website here.

Callun O’Hare in the Sky Blue

Mark Robins‘ men lined up (current CCFPA members underlined):-

Ben Wilson, Ryan Giles, Jordon Thompson (Jack Burroughs -59), Declan Drysdale, Kyle McFadzean (c), Dom Hyam, Jordan Shipley (Marcel Hillsner -83), Gus Hamer, Matty Godden (Josh Eccles -80), Jamie Allen (Amadou Bakayoko -74) and Callum O’Hare (Will Bapaga -74).

Unused subs: Max Biamou, Morgan Williams, Brandon Mason, Jonny Ngandu, Blaine Rowe and Tom Billson (gk)

Baily Cargill in the Sky Blue

The Dons (managed by Russell Martin) put out the following players:-

Laurie Walker (Lee Nicholls -46), Jay Bird (Regan Poole -46), Matthew Sorinola (Mlaki Black -69), Louis Thompson (Trialist A -60), Russell Martin (Dean Lewington -46), Jack Davies (c) (Baily Cargill -46), John Freeman (Jordan Houghton -46), Hiram Boateng (Ben Gladwin-46), Carlton Morris (Trialist B -69), Tali Jallow (Sam Nombe -46) and Josh Bailey (David Kasuma -46) Unused sub. Tom Rowley

Bailey Cargill played five games and netted once for the Sky Blues in 2015-16.

Tyler in the Sky Blue

The Sky Blues won all their remaining pre-season games, 3-2 against Burton Albion, 2-1 and 3-2 in a double header against Peterborough United and 3-1 against the U23s of Southampton. Ironically the Sky Blues were back at the MK Dons for their first competitive game of the season on 8th September when they beat the Dons again in the League Cup by a solitary goal eight minutes from time by Tyler Walker!

Though the Sky Blues rounded off the Championship season with an emphatic 6-1 demolition of Millwall at St Andrews (with Kyle McFadzean scoring both ends) City finished in sixteenth at the end of a strange season for them and fans!