Matchday Memories: On This Day 2007 – MM & KK Give Sky Blues Win Treble At QPR!
Sky Blue ‘gaffer’ Iain Dowie points the way to the win
On this day (6th November) in 2007 the Sky Blues, under Iain Dowie, were fifteen games into their Championship season placed just outside the play off places in seventh. They had started the season really well only sustaining their first league defeat in their seventh game but since then results had been a bit patchy within three successive league defeats during most of October. However, starting with a home win against Colchester United on the 27th and continuing with 3-1 defeat of Stoke City at the Britannia last time out, the Sky Blues today were seeking a win treble! This outcome was achieved on this day with another away win, this time by the odd goal in three in Shepherd’s Bush.
Michael congratulated by Marcus & Leon after scoring
Leon Best bursts through with ball
The victims were struggling Queens Park Rangers and a crowd of 78 short of 12,000 saw the Sky Blues squeak a very late 2-1 win. The Hoops, clearly lacking confidence, seemed ripe for the taking and made three substitutions before the break to try and shake things up. The homester’s were rewarded with a fiftieth minute opener from Akos Buzsáky, a deflected effort, leaving recalled (and CCFPA’s quite recent recruit) shotstopper Dimi Konstantopoulos stranded.
However, CCFC’s Maltese international (and recent CCFPA recruit) Michael Mifsud had been on fire recently, the so-called ‘Maltese Messi’ scoring three goals in City’s last two games. He bagged another one today just after the hour in the 61st minute to equalise rounding the Hoops’ keeper Lee Camp (who in 2020-21 temporarily joined the Sky Blues as goalkeeping cover albeit without playing).
‘Cov Kid’ Marcus Hall makes a block
Kevin in the Sky Blue
The Sky Blues’ winner came from the much maligned Sky Blue striker Kevin Kyle two minutes into second half injury time soaring to convert a cross from (now CCFPA member) Issac Osbourne. In truth the Sky Blues second successive away win was deserved. This was the first defeat for the Hoops’ new ‘gaffer’ Luigi De Canio! The contemporary BBC match report (including both managers comments) can be found here.
However, Dowie’s men would come down to earth with a bump however six days later with a 4-0 bashing at home to the Baggies. Iain Dowie was on the end of a shock sacking the following February with the Sky Blues slipping to nineteenth and Chris Coleman was handed the Sky Blue managerial baton as the team’s decline continued.
Martin Cranie in the Sky Blue
Lee Camp, Michael Mancienne, Chris Barker, Mikele Leigertwood (sub. Adam Bolder -39), Martin Crainie (sub. Sampsa Timoska -20), Damion Stewart, Martin Rowlands, Akos Buzsáky, Rowan Vine, Marc Nygaard (sub. Daniel Nardiello -44) and Scott Sinclair Referee: Anthony Bates (Staffordshire)
Coventry City 2007-08
Leicester City were the somewhat unlucky fall guys (going down with Scunthorpe United and Colchester United), even after the Sky Blues had succumbed to a woeful last day of the season drubbing losing 4-1 at Charlton Athletic. At the other end of the table the promoted trio were champions West Bromwich Albion, runners up Stoke City and third placed Hull City (victorious in the play-offs).
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young (& Dean Nelson) for sourcing the images.
