Football
Bury 0-2 Coventry City

Buy photos » Skipper Carl Baker scored the Sky Blues' second goal against Bury on Saturday. Photo by Jon Mullis (www.buyphotos247.com)

Bury 0-2 Coventry City

League One

Match report by Steve Carpenter

CHANTS of 'are you watching Mark Robins' sounded around Gigg Lane on Saturday afternoon as the Sky Blues began life under caretaker manager Lee Carsley with a comfortable win at League One strugglers Bury.

The Sky Blues ended what had been a traumatic week in fine style as goals from Leon Clarke and Carl Baker moved them back to within five points of the play-offs and just eight off league leaders Bournemouth.

Carsley joked about being one of the few left at Ryton available to take the role last Thursday following Robins' departure.

And he wasted no time in stamping his authority on the side by making three changes with Carl Dickinson replacing the injured Blair Adams, Nathan Cameron was recalled ahead of William Edjenguele and Stephen Elliott came into the side.

The team was once again backed by another strong away following and just three minutes in those supporters were on their feet celebrating the opening goal of the game.

Dickinson picked out Clarke with a clever ball over the op and the City striker muscled his marker out of the way before sliding the ball past Trevor Carson in the Bury goal.

Elliott was proving a constant threat playing in behind Clarke and he was unlucky to see his low shot on ten minutes come back off the post after dancing his way into the penalty area and James Bailey's rebound was cleared off the line.

Baker and McSheffrey were looking lively down the flanks and both were denied by Carson around the hour mark as the visitors pressed for a second.

Bury are languishing in the relegation zone and struggled to cope with the Sky Blues throughout the first half.

Their best chance fell to Andy Bishop who got himself on the end of a cross from the right but his effort was blocked and drifted just wide of Murphy's goal.

It was business as usual in the second period for the Sky Blues with Carsley and his number two Steve Ogrizovic looking on from the touchline.

Bailey was unlucky to send a low half volley straight at Carson shortly after the break and the Bury keeper was alert again in the minutes that followed – first to stop a low drive by McSheffrey and then to deny Clarke after the City striker had been put through on goal.

There was a scare twenty-five minutes from time when Bishop headed just over with Murphy at full stretch.

But Baker calmed the nerves eight minutes later when he finally beat Carson with a low shot on his weaker left foot.

The hosts came within inches of setting up a dramatic late finish when Nicky Ajose touched the ball past Murphy after breaking free in the penalty area but Richard Wood was on-hand to clear the ball off the line to record the club's first clean sheet in a month.

Attendance: 3,745 (1,241 Sky Blues)

Player ratings: Murphy 6, Dickinson 7, Christie 6, Wood 5, Cameron 7, McSheffrey 6 (Fleck 86), Baker 7, Jennings 7 (Thomas 90), Bailey 8, Elliott 8 (Moussa 74), L Clarke 7

Subs not used – Dunn, J Clarke, Barton, Edjenguele

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