Not a football ground, but still a great football game

Saturday 9 December 2023, Coventry United 2 Leicester Nirvana - UCL Premier South, Butts Park Arena

This game was not even i my thoughts at 10am, but the 3 games I had in my plan- all in Surrey/West London area were washed out- so it was a drive north for the plastic pitch option.

When I arrived, thought I had made a mistake, not a great welcome at the turnstile, over priced admission, a programme not worth the £2 and car park at £5 and the bar and limited food offering obviously run by the stadium owners not the club.

However, in the end I was glad I had made the effort,  I saved the £5 by parking in the small road next door and then, stand large and empty but at least it good view and then the real reason it was worth coming- the football. Leicester were bottom with Coventry not much higher up the league but both teams served up a great game. Coventry started on top but it was Nirvana who went in the break two up, a goalmouth scramble in 17th minute then a cracking shot from distance in the 44th minute.

Nirvana should have secured the win in the 52nd minute when awarded a penalty but the keeper saved that and then the rest of the half was mostly Coventry pushing forward and on the 70th minute they got one back, the Nirvana keeper made a great save but a United forward was first to the rebound.##It still looked like Leicester would hold on, Coventry did hit the posts in the last minute and then they got the equaliser they probably deserved with a header from a tight angle in the 91st minute.