FOOTBALL: A THIRD consecutive defeat has seen the Sky Blues drop back into the League One relegation zone, but interim manager Mark Venus is refusing to get downbeat about the club’s dismal league position.
Venus had spoken about making the Ricoh Arena a fortress once again but on Saturday he could only watch on from the touchline as his side fell to a disappointing 2-1 defeat against fellow strugglers MK Dons.
“I’m not downhearted,” said Venus. “This is a big football club and we’ve got to keep going, we’ve got to get some more points on the board and get away from the bottom of the league.
“Scoring goals has been a problem for the last 20 or so games and unless we change in that aspect we’re not going to improve. I think we put them under pressure and were the team on the front foot.
“We had the most threatening positions, but as far as literal goal mouth action they probably scored with their first attack and couldn’t take advantage of good positions.
“There have been a few lows recently, after a couple of highs before that, but that is football. You get judged by everybody and that is understandable in the position we are.”
Ed Upson opened the scoring for the visitors on 35 minutes after beating Lee Burge with a neat header but before that the home side had wasted several notable chances.
Stevenson hit a curling shot from the edge of the area inches wide of the post and Jones delivered a dangerous cross from the right which should have been met by a Sky Blues player before hitting one narrowly wide himself.
The hosts did manage to get back on level terms six minutes before the break when Stevenson unleashed an audacious 35-yard shot which drifted into the top corner of the net with the goalkeeper off his line.
Four minutes after the break MK Dons should have got themselves back in front when Daniel Powell found himself clean through on goal with Lewis Page putting him under close attention but he fired his shot over the bar.
Gael Bigirimana wasted another chance for the Sky Blues on 74 minutes but he failed to find the target after being picked out by Marcus Tudgay but just moments later came a pivotal moment in the match.
Stevenson dived in for a 50/50 challenge with Dean Lewington and failed to win the ball, instead leaving his mark on the MK Dons player and the referee was quick to give the young City midfielder his marching orders with a straight red.
Ten minutes from time Upson grabbed his second of the match and consigned the Sky Blues to a ninth league defeat of the season when a series of defensive errors allowed Upson to beat Burge again with a low finish.
Venus added: “I think we put a lot of effort in the game and competed really well to get into some good positions, but we didn’t test their ‘keeper enough.
“We’re still in both cup competitions so we have to look towards those now. We’ve picked up a few points over the last ten games, but it’s nowhere near enough.”
