Football: Ndlovu's key role

Coventry City. . . .1

West Ham United. . .1

BOBBY GOULD has brought a touch of imagination to Coventry's new season, introducing a system in which only three outfield players have a primary duty to defend and the sight of sky-blue shirts engaged in neat one-touch exchanges raised high expectations. But then the match started, whereupon it became clear that Gould's stylish warm-up routine had been an empty promise.

What followed largely was a tiresome series of misplaced crosses and hit-and-hope passes of the kind that has, in the past, marked out Gould as a tactician of whom purists despair. He surely intended something else: the same players, after all, had launched the campaign with two exhilarating displays to defeat Arsenal and Newcastle.

Yesterday, they could produce barely a handful of effective moves of quality. After 18 minutes, Roy Wegerle linked with Mick Quinn to set up Peter Ndlovu for a 15-yard shot that was saved but that apart all the first- half football that was remotely watchable came from West Ham. The Londoners took hold of midfield, Peter Butler and Martin Allen dominant in the centre, with Dale Gordon offering potent support to the front runners.

Gordon put them ahead in first-half injury time, sweeping the ball home after the goalkeeper could not hold Tim Breacker's low drive.

Julian Dicks, sent off three times last season, escaped with a caution after clashing with Sean Flynn in an explosive end to the half.

Gould spared the 18-year-old Tony Sheridan further embarrassment after an ineffective first half and re-organised to give Ndlovu a more penetrative role. The effect was almost instant. Wegerle accepted a fine pass from John Williams, sent Ndlovu jinking off down the right and was perfectly placed to slot home his first goal for the club when the Nigerian evaded Dicks's tackle and pulled the ball back.

Coventry City (3-4-1-2): J Gould; P Atherton, D Rennie, P Babb; S Flynn, P Ndlovu, T Sheridan (W Boland, 45 min), S Morgan; R Wegerle; J Williams (P Williams, 73 min), M Quinn. Sub not used: S Ogrizovic (gk). Manager: B Gould.

West Ham United (4-4-2): L Miklosko; T Breacker, C Foster, S Potts, J Dicks; D Gordon, M Allen, P Butler, K Rowland; C Allen, T Morley. Subs not used: T Gale, M Robson, G Peyton (gk). Manager: B Bonds.

Referee: S Lodge (Barnsley).

Goals: Gordon (0-1, 47 min); Wegerle (1-1, 57 min).