Matchday Live: Coventry v Cherries (From Bournemouth Echo)

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Sub: Fletcher on for Barnard.

4:37pm

Steve Fletcher is warming up as if he is coming on.

4:36pm

Cherries struggling to create chances.

4:33pm

Sub: MacDonald off, Tubbs on.

4:32pm

Matt Tubbs coming on

4:26pm

McGoldrick, who spent time on loan with Cherries in 2007, slotted the ball past James following a lovely assist from Callum Ball.

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MacDonald's volley from edge of box punched over bar by Murphy.

4:12pm

10,458 attendance including 740 Cherries fans

4:10pm

Sub: Carmichael off, Partington on. Carmichael took a knock towards the end of the first half.

4:09pm

Richard Wood header hits crossbar from Fleck corner. Coventry made better start to this half.

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James beats away a fierce drive from Moussa.

4:03pm

Second half under way, Coventry sub: Barton off, Callum Ball on.

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3:48pm

One minute of added time.

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One minute of added time.

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Coventry, now third bottom, were at their lowest placing for 53 years when they were second bottom. You can see why from this display.

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Pot-shot from Adam Barton clears the crossbar.

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David James is playing like a sweeper.

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MacDonald effort trickles wide after Sky Blues keeper Joe Murphy makes a hash of a clearance.

3:28pm

James quickly off his line to beat McGoldrick to a through ball.

3:26pm

Lee Barnard's shot strikes a defender following good work by Marc Pugh

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3:17pm

I am almost tempted to start a chant on behalf of the Coventry lot!

3:17pm

The Ricoh Arena is like a library apart from the Cherries end.

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3:11pm

Effort from McGoldrick ruled off for offside, flag went up quickly.

3:10pm

Shaun MacDonald blazes over a good chance and a shot from David McGoldrick cannons off Tommy Elphick for a corner

3:06pm

Cherries fans in good voice, same cannot be said for home supporters.

3:05pm

Cagey start by both teams, lots of nice passing but little else in early stages.

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3:01pm

Cherries to kick off...

3:00pm

CHERRIES' GAFFER

Dennis Rofe (pictured below) will take charge of managerless Cherries today and will be assisted by development squad coach Chris Hargreaves.

Rofe, who occupied various capacities on the backroom staff at Southampton during three separate spells, joined Cherries as first-team coach in June.

The 62-year-old was tempted away by Paul Groves from his position as regional youth development officer for the Football League.

In a 16-year playing career, Rofe made around 550 appearances for Orient, Leicester, Chelsea and Southampton and was also capped at under-23 level by England.

A £112,000 move from Orient to Leicester in 1972 saw him become the most expensive full-back in British football, Rofe going on to play 290 games for the Foxes.

His first coaching appointment came in 1984 under Chris Nicholl at Southampton before he took over as manager at Bristol Rovers seven years later.

A brief stint at Stoke saw him take the reserve team reins before a return to Southampton as youth team coach was followed by Rofe joining the backroom staff at Fulham.

Rofe rejoined Southampton for a third spell in April 1998, progressing from Academy coach to reserve team coach and then first-team coach, under Stuart Gray in March 2001.
He served Saints as first-team coach and assistant boss as the club had a rapid turnover of managers and was alongside Gordon Strachan when Saints reached the FA Cup final in 2003.

Dismissed following George Burley’s appointment in December 2005, Rofe worked in national and local radio as a match summariser before taking up a post with the Football League.

2:58pm

2:58pm

REFEREE - JAMES ADCOCK

Currently in his second season on the Football League list, 28-year-old is one of the youngest on the panel. He hails from Long Eaton in Nottinghamshire.

Speaking to the Derby Telegraph soon after his promotion in 2011, Adcock said: “It has been a lifelong dream of mine to become a Football League referee – but my dad David's dream, too.

"He was the one who got me into refereeing, because he was a Football League assistant for many years.

"He's been a great mentor and comes to watch me at every game.

"When I received the confirmation letter, I took a bottle of champagne round to his house and we celebrated together. It was an emotional time."

Adcock took his first refereeing course in 2000, at the age of 16 and is a PE teacher.

He took charge of the Conference play-off final between Luton and AFC Wimbledon in 2011 and refereed two Cherries games last season – a 2-2 draw at MK Dons in October and the 3-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday in March where he saw Lee Bradbury’s men dominate the opening two minutes (couldn’t help myself!).

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DAVID McGOLDRICK (pictured below)

The 24-year-old striker should need no introduction to Cherries supporters after playing a starring role as the Dorset club avoided relegation at the end of the 2006-07 season.

McGoldrick, who is on loan to the Sky Blues from Nottingham Forest until January, has, by all accounts, been Coventry’s stand-out player so far this season.

He certainly did the trick for Cherries after being drafted in on loan from Southampton by then-boss Kevin Bond in February 2007.

Despite featuring in only 12 games, McGoldrick finished the campaign as Cherries’ joint-second leading goalscorer with Darren Anderton.

His six goals, which came during a 10-match purple patch, helped Cherries stave off the threat of relegation as they went on to finish 19th in League One, five points above the drop zone.

McGoldrick was one of no fewer than 36 players used by Bond during the season with Marc Wilson, Jack Cork, Ryan Bertrand, Leon Best and Franck Songo’o also having loan spells at Dean Court. Perhaps the less said about Steve Claridge’s one appearance, the better!

2:50pm

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TALKING THE TALK

Coventry boss Mark Robins and Cherries’ loan striker Lee Barnard have both given their pre-match thoughts to their respective club websites this week.

Robins said: “We know their players, what qualities they have and what they have been putting out on the pitch in recent weeks.

“We have all the relevant information so we have a good idea of what we have to face.

“It is always about us though and how we play on the day. We have been working hard on implementing some of the work we have done on the training pitch, on to a matchday.

“Every game is an opportunity for us. I thought the game against MK Dons was an opportunity as we started the game really well but didn’t score the chances we had in the opening stages. That could have made it a different game but instead it got away from us.

“We have spoken about that and I think we have got the players who can pass the ball like MK Dons did. But I’m pleased with what I’m seeing. I said it will be a slow process and it is at the moment.

“Fans want to see instant results though and we’ve seen the side pick up four points in their last two games which is the pleasing aspect.

“This Saturday gives us another opportunity to put some points on the board and catch the teams which are around us and Bournemouth is one of them.”

And Southampton striker Barnard, who has netted three times in six league appearances since joining Cherries, said: “With Paul (Groves) and Shaun (Brooks) going, it has been a bit strange, but that is the nature of football and these things happen.

“I owe them a lot because they brought me to the club and I wish them the best, but we have another game on Saturday and we need to concentrate on that.

“It is a big game. Coventry are a big club and should probably be in a higher division. They have had a slow start but they have picked up and it will be a tough game for us. But we are focused and we know what we have to do.”

2:45pm

WE’VE MET BEFORE…

The last time the clubs met, Coventry, then in the top flight (Division One), emerged convincing winners from a two-legged League Cup second round clash in 1988, then sponsored by Littlewoods.

Managed by John Sillett, the Sky Blues triumph 7-1 on aggregate against Harry Redknapp’s Cherries, who were in their second season in the second flight (Division Two) and would go on to record their highest finishing position in club history (12th).

Goals from Micky Gynn (two), Greg Downs and Gary Bannister saw the visitors register a convincing 4-0 victory at Dean Court on September 27 before Richard Cooke netted for Cherries in a 3-1 defeat at Highfield Road on October 11 with Gynn, Steve Sedgley and David Speedie on target for the hosts.

However, Cherries fared much better in the last league meetings between the clubs in 1963-64.

In front of a crowd of 24,955 at Highfield Road, goals from Charlie Crickmore and Charlie Woods earned Cherries a 2-2 draw on February 29.

And just three weeks later, Ray Bumstead’s double earned Reg Flewin’s Cherries a 2-1 win at Dean Court in front of their second highest crowd of the season – 16,085.

The highest would come the following week when 16,998 packed in to see Cherries win 1-0 against Bristol Rovers.

Coventry would go on to clinch the old Division Three title on goal difference from Crystal Palace, while Cherries would finished fourth, two points behind Watford.

2:42pm

CURRENT FORM – (NOT THE BEST!)

Cherries (19th) L L L D D W D L
Sky Blues (22nd) D W L L L L L D

Since taking the reins on September 19, new Coventry boss Mark Robins has presided over one win, one draw and one defeat.

His tenure started with a 2-1 home reverse at the hands of Carlisle before Cody McDonald’s 89th-minute winner earned Robins his first victory, 1-0 against hometown club Oldham at Boundary Park.

Richard Wood’s 34th-minute effort saw the Sky Blues take a share of the spoils from a 1-1 home draw with MK Dons on Tuesday.

Prior to the arrival of Robins, caretaker Richard Shaw had seen his chances of getting the job on a permanent basis hindered by four straight defeats (Shrewsbury, Tranmere, Stevenage and Crewe).

Shaw, Robins and Paul Ince were the three names on the final short-list for the post which was made vacant following the departure of Andy Thorn after the season had started with three successive draws (Bury, Sheffield United, Yeovil).

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YOU ARE NOT A LOAN…

The Sky Blues boast no fewer than six loan players in their squad, although league rules only permit them to name five in the 18-man matchday squad.

They are: Jamie Reckord (Wolves), James Bailey (Derby), Callum Ball (Derby), Conor Henderson (Arsenal), Reece Brown (Manchester United) and
David McGoldrick (Nottingham Forest).

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ON THIS DAY IN 2000

Goals from Carl Fletcher, Claus Jorgensen and Garreth O’Connor earned Cherries a 3-3 draw at Bristol City.

Coventry were enjoying the international break before their next game – a 2-1 home win in the top flight against Spurs.

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Welcome to today's Matchday Live from the Ricoh Arena. 

It's Coventry City v Cherries.

Feel free to join in either here or on Twitter using the #echolive hashtag.