FOOTBALL: GOALSCORER Andy Rose admits he was pleased to be back doing what he does best as his first half goal helped the Sky Blues pick up a point away at Midlands rivals Walsall.
The 26-year-old had missed most of the season so far with a knee injury but it was a happy return for the Australian after he opening the scoring at the Bescot Stadium on Saturday to give the visitors a 1-0 half-time lead.
Three points would have been the icing on the cake for Rose but it was not to be as Erhun Oztumer rescued a late point as this year’s M69 derby ended 1-1.
“Getting over the finish line fitness wise has been difficult but I was pleased to be back out there,” said Rose, who was taken off after 70 minutes with a thigh strain.
“It’s been a long couple of months for me, any injury is difficult. I’ve maybe overworked myself a bit of late, working to try and get back in the team and I’ve taken a little knock – nothing serious.
“It’s been a dramatic season and having to watch from the sidelines has been frustrating but to score felt great, we should have closed the game out in the second-half really.
“When you’re leading 1-0 you tend to waste a few opportunities and sometimes that comes back to bite you. We’re disappointed with the result, but I’m pleased to be back out there.”
As expected the first ‘M6 derby’ of the season proved to be a feisty affair and it also saw former city fan’s favourite Frank Moussa come up against his former club for the first time.
Joe Edwards was booked for a late lunge on Jamie Sterry which set the tone of the match but there were few chances on goal in the opening 45 minutes.
On ten minutes Lee Burge saved Kieron Morris’ long range effort while at the other end Daniel Agyei beat two Walsall defenders before setting up Ruben Lameiras but the Portuguese winger sent his curling shot inches wide of the target.
The hosts perhaps should have gone in front when Andrea Makris fired wide on 25 minutes but it was the Sky Blues who got their noses on front eight minutes before the break.
Striker Marvin Sordell delivered an inch perfect towards the penalty spot which Rose was able to expertly volley into the bottom left-hand corner of the net to give the visitors a narrow one-goal lead at the break.
The second period followed in the same pattern as the first with neither side threatening it each other’s goal until the hour mark.
Bigirimana did well to win possession before feeding Lameiras who ran at the Walsall defence and he fed Agyei who was able to get a shot away but his effort was superbly saved by Neil Etheridge.
Burge then produced an equally impressive save to keep out Kieron Morris’s low shot on 66 minutes he kept out Oztumer’s 25-yard free kick but the home side did manage to get back on level terms with 76 minutes on the clock.
A neat piece of build up play between Morris and former Sky Blues striker Simeon Jackson finished with Oztumer firing a low shot into the bottom corner of the net.
Substitute Liam Kinsella and Sordell both came close to scoring a winner in a frantic finale but both sides were made to settle for a point at the final whistle.
“Things have been simplified now and I think the system plays to a lot of our players strengths,” Rose added.
“Four at the back is working, more than anything we’ve got that hunger. The boys here are footballers and want to play with the ball on the ground.
“It’s one game at a time at the moment, we’re all working hard to climb this table.”
20th Apr, 2024
