BIRMINGHAM CITY RESERVES 3-4 COVENTRY CITY RESERVES BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City Reserves are through to the Birmingham Senior Cup Final after a thrilling 4-3 victory over Birmingham City.
Coventry City Reserves are through to the Birmingham Senior Cup Final after a thrilling 4-3 victory over Birmingham City.
Having seen off Nuneaton Borough and Stourbridge at the fourth attempt, Steve Ogrizovic named a strong side for this semi-final tie. Included were Andy Whing,Stuart Giddings,Colin Cameron,Robert Page,David McNamee and Khalilou Fadiga.
Birmingham boss Keith Bertschin and his assistant Nigel Spink also named a strong side with Neil Danns,Neil Kilkenny,Mikael Forssell and DJ Campbell all in the starting eleven.
With Iain Dowie,Tim Flowers and Frankie Bunn in the crowd of around 250 at Solihull Borough's Damson Lane home, the Sky Blues took the lead in the 9th minute. Matty West played the ball inside to Fadiga who spotted Andy Whing on his right. Whing got the ball and from twelve yards and drilled low into the net.
Arron Lee Barrett was in fine form early on and made two great saves from DJ Campbell.
In the 16th minute,City doubled their tally when Colin Cameron raced through and buried the ball into the back of the net with a right footed drive.
The home side who beat Willenhall Town in the last round pulled one back through a 25th minute penalty taken by Mikael Forssell after referee Pat Keane had spotted a shirt tug.
Less than a minute later, Matty West broke and thumped home for City's third.
Birmingham boss Keith Bertschin and his assistant Nigel Spink also named a strong side with Neil Danns,Neil Kilkenny,Mikael Forssell and DJ Campbell all in the starting eleven.
With Iain Dowie,Tim Flowers and Frankie Bunn in the crowd of around 250 at Solihull Borough's Damson Lane home, the Sky Blues took the lead in the 9th minute. Matty West played the ball inside to Fadiga who spotted Andy Whing on his right. Whing got the ball and from twelve yards and drilled low into the net.
Arron Lee Barrett was in fine form early on and made two great saves from DJ Campbell.
In the 16th minute,City doubled their tally when Colin Cameron raced through and buried the ball into the back of the net with a right footed drive.
The home side who beat Willenhall Town in the last round pulled one back through a 25th minute penalty taken by Mikael Forssell after referee Pat Keane had spotted a shirt tug.
Less than a minute later, Matty West broke and thumped home for City's third.
In the 33rd minute, David McNamee limped off with a hamstring pull and was replaced by Lee Hildreth.
At the break, Khalliol Fadiga who'd put in a good performance, filed past some of the twenty or so City supporters and out of the ground in tears after hearing news of a family problem.
David Burtoft was sent on in his place and worked well as on the hour mark, Matty West got his second of the night when he steered from an Andy Gooding corner.
The Academy striker should have completed his hat-trick seconds later but steered his shot into the side netting after bursting past the Blues defence.
Nick Wright was Birmingham's best player by far and in the 64th minute, he attacked down the right and centred for DJ Campbell to slot home from close range.
With thirteen minutes left, DJ Campbell raced clear. He looked offside but Nuneaton based referee Paul Chislett kept his flag down. Out came Aaron Lee Barrett to pull him down. Campbell got up and his penalty just crept past the Sky Blues keeper.
City were hanging on towards the end but could have scored more if efforts from Che Bunce and Dale Jones gone in.
In the last minute,a combination of Lee Barrett and Colin Cameron cleared off the line and ensured that Coventry City were through to the final against Redditch United or Walsall.
HT BCFC 1-3 CCFC FT BCFC 3-4 CCFC
Goals Andy Whing (9),Colin Cameron (16), Mikael Forssell (26),Matty West (27 & 60),DJ Campbell (64 & pen 77)
Team
Lee-Barrett,Whing,Giddings,Cameron (Jones 65), Page,Bunce,McNamee (Hildreth 33), Gooding, West,Fadiga,(Burtoft 46),Lynch SNU Belford,Duggan
Birmingham City
Legzdins,Howland,Campion,Pearce,Price,Danns (Dicker 61),Wright,Kilkenny,Forssell (McPike 61),Campbell.Birley SNU Lyness,Kavanagh,Hall