FA Cup: Coventry City 0-5 West Bromwich Albion
By Jemma Tappenden
February 17 2008
Albion are the only side in history to have won the FA Cup and been promoted in the same year. And now yesterday’s 5-0 thrashing of Championship rivals Coventry City has seen them through to the draw for the quarter finals, 40 years after last lifting the trophy at Wembley, Baggies fans will be asking themselves if they can repeat the same fate in 2008.
It was a game that saw some managerless Coventry City fans leave the Ricoh Arena with 20 minutes left to play, as the Baggies gave a true demonstration of why they are a force to be reckoned with in both league and cup this season.
An army of 6,000 travelling Baggies fans made the short trip to see their side which included the return of on fire Roman Bednar, fit after recovering from a thigh strain, and Pele making his first start in six games replacing the suspended Jonathan Greening. Both Phillips and Miller were rested as the Baggies line up in a 4-5-1 formation.
Right from the off Albion were bombarding City with everything they had, almost from the kick off Teixeira had outfoxed the Coventry defence to play in Brunt, who provided a challenging cross which Gera headed just wide. Two minutes later Hoefkens had got the better of Robbie Simpson down the right before firing in a low hard cross which Bednar cleverly dummied to allow Gera a shot which he scuffed just wide of the left hand post.
Hungarian International Zoltan Gera was becoming more than a handful, and it took a last ditch challenge from Elliot Ward to prevent him putting in a cross to a herd of waiting Baggies players in the box. In the 12th minute the Coventry defence cracked, a Gera throw in on the right found Bednar who crossed the ball fro Brunt to head home a sound goal.
In the 16th minute The Sky Blues finally had their first shot at goal, a freekick from Michel Hughes was blocked by the Albion wall, but the rebound fell to Simpson who teed up the ball for Doyle to take a shot. His effort flew just wide of the right hand post. It proved to be the start of Coventry’s best spell of the half, and in the 27th minute the Baggies defence were caught lapsing and allowed Misfud to pick up the loose ball and get a chance in which was just inches wide.
In the 34th minute Albion had a real let off when Marcus Hall crossed from the left and Leon Best headed just inches over the bar. But the hosts were soon to have a real let off of their own, victims of their own making when Hughes headed a Brunt freekick off his own bar. A second let off came just minutes later when Teixeira’s corner kick which was played short to Brunt found its way to Albrechtsen at the far post. But the defender headed over to allow Coventry a huge sigh of relief.
The Sky Blues finished the half on a high, and Albion fans were more than relieved to hear the half time whistle finally arrive after a series of Coventry chances. The biggest scare came when Hall had drilled a loose ball into the box. A scramble and a half later the ball fell back at the feet of Hall who saw his hard strike blocked by a number of players.
Half Time: Coventry City 0-1 West Bromwich Albion
Four minutes after the restart Coventry found themselves reduced to ten men when Doyle was dismissed from the field for a challenge on Gera. And just ten minutes later things went from bad to worse for Sky Blues fans when the Baggies doubled their lead. Goal Keeper Andy Marshall attempted to return a pass to Ward, but Bednar was on hand to steal in and slot past the keeper to make it two nil.
Coventry City must have really been feeling the odds were against them when in the 68th minute Roman Bednar won his side a penalty after his path to goal had been blocked by Arjan de Zeeuw hand. The on-loan striker kept his cool to score his second of the game, his last kick of the ball before making way for Ishmael Miller.
Teixeira was replaced in the 74th minute, allowing Baggies fans to catch their first glimpse of new on loan signing Do-Heon Kim. The 76th minute saw Albion grab another goal as substitute Miller spun Ward to race onto Hoefkens’ through ball, the power house striker held off Hall well before slotting coolly home past Marshall for the Baggies fourth.
Just two minutes later in was 5-0, Miller this time turning provider as he pulled the ball back for Gera who did well to skip his way past two defenders before rounding Andy Marshall to score the Baggies fifth. This sparked another exodus from the loyal but fed up home fans.
Coventry’s only real chance of the half was wasted by Misfud as he fired just wide of the left hand post. Overall the Baggies had had an easy ride, and most importantly found themselves in the hat for the quarter final draw on Monday afternoon.
Full Time: Coventry City 0-5 West Bromwich Albion
Brunt (12)
Bednar (59, 69 Pen)
Miller (76)
Gera (78)
Attendance: 28,163