Lucky 'Boro Get Second Chance

By CovSid67
January 29 2006

With more composure in front of goal, and a little more luck, Coventry could have saved themselves the bother of a replay, in a match they thoroughly deserved to win - despite Boro putting out a strong team.

Official figures show 28,120 fans turned up for this match - a new record for the Arena - though there looked to be far less than 4,900 empty seats to me. Whether this was because of the £15 ticket price, or because there is an audience in and around Coventry willing to watch us play against better quality opposition, is an answer known only by the extra 7,500 fans that turned up but who don't usually bother.....

An early effort from McSheffrey tested Schwarzer, and any attempts by Boro to win this game at the first attempt could have been more difficult had any of the match officials spotted the flailing arm of Mendieta. They didn't, and the contest stayed as 11 v 11.

Eghiou limped out of the match just before the half-hour mark (To be replaced by Bates), and soon after Duffy, in acres of space on the left-hand side of Boro's defence, fired in a disappointing cross.

McSheffrey and Adebola both found themselves ahead of the last Boro defender (McSheffrey around the half-hour mark, and Adebola just before half-time), but both opted to set up Stern John rather than take the better option of shooting. In hindsight....

A great 30 yard run from McSheffrey ended up with him being tackled on the edge of the Boro penalty area, while a powerful run and shot from Adebola ended with his effort going just wide of Schwarzer's post.

A "route one" effort could have brought rewards, after Fulop's long kick down-field was headed on by Scowcroft, and fired towards the Boro goal by Adebola. Schwarzer saved easily.

Half-time: 0-0.

Coventry were caught out at the start of the first half last week, and were at the start of the second half this week. A poor clearance landed at the feet of Hasselbaink, and he easily scored past Fulop.

A minute later, and it could have been 2-0, though thankfully the chance was wasted by Yakubu. The Coventry City of a few months ago might have crumbled at this point, but not the new and improving Coventry City!

That was as good as it got for Boro, with the second half belonging to Coventry City - not that you would believe that watching the `Match Of The Day' highlights! Nice editing....

A 50th minute free kick from Hutchinson was saved by Schwarzer, but three minutes later the home side deservedly equalised.

A long punt down-field was just kept in by McSheffrey when others would probably have given up the chase, and his cross into the box wasn't cleared properly by the away side. A Hutchinson header found Stern John free inside the penalty area, and he finished in style. With a massive space to Schwarzer's left, he instead put it between the smallest of spaces between the post and the keepers right hand. A quality strike, from potentially the best player in the Championship....

A superb piece of skill by Stern John left two Boro defenders on their backsides, but his shot was blocked, before Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink sent a header, that should have at least tested Fulop, wide of goal.

And Adebola run and shot again tested Schwarzer, before McSheffrey created what was probably the best of all the Coventry chances to win the match. Having got past a couple of Boro defenders, he fired in a cross that was just put over the bar from a few yards out by Scowcroft, mainly thanks to superb last-ditch defending from Boro.

A succession of Coventry chance were created, usually by McSheffrey, though the final touch eluded anybody else in a Sky Blue shirt. After an average first half, he had woken up, and caused havoc in the away sides defence.

The injured Hutchinson was replaced by Jorgensen after 87 minutes, John (Who was caught on camera smiling several times throught the match!) was replaced by Morrell with a minute of normal time left, while McShefrey was replaced by Impey in injury time.

There was still time for one last chance to avoid a replay, with substitute Claus Jorgensen given the opportunity to become the hero. Sadly he smashed his effort agonisingly over the bar.

With Micky Adams claiming "With our away form [in the league] we might as well not turn up!", it's worth noting that our away record in the F.A. Cup this season reads: Played 1, Won 1!!

"Instead [Of Nuneaton Boro's Manor Park], the Ricoh Arena offered the highly-paid Boro stars all the comforts of a stadium fit for the Premiership, and one of the best looking pitches in professional football" - Teamtalk.