COVENTRY CITY 3-1 EXETER CITY
City: Burge, Willis, Webster (Clarke 46), Phillips, Haynes, Finch, C.Thomas, Fleck (Maddison 46), Coulibaly, Jackson, McQuoid (G.Thomas 59). Subs: Allsop, Miller.
Exeter: Hamon, Butterfield, Bennett (Pope 64) Riberio, Oakley (Watkins 64), Keohane, Davies, Moore-Taylor (Tilson 37), Dawson, Nicholls, Riley-Lowe. Subs: Jay, Keadell.
HT CCFC 2-0 ECFC FT CCFC 3-1 ECFC ATT 7,273
Goals Aaron Phillips 35, 45, McQuoid 58, Ollie Watkins 85
Referee A.Madley
Booked Phillips
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Coventry City are through to the JPT Area Quarter-Finals after a 3-1 win over Exeter City.
On a day where the attention was focused on Coventry City Council selling all of their shares in ACL to Wasps, the Sky Blues, who have now many unanswered questions about their current home, took on Exeter City in a Johnstone Paint Trophy Southern Section Round Two game at the Ricoh Arena.
After picking up a fine for too many changes in the last round, Steven Pressley, took no chances and made four changes from the team that had drawn with Crawley Town on Saturday, against an Exeter team which had won their last four matches.
The crowd was better than many people expected and they saw City attacking South Stand or the Jonny Wilkinson end won a third minute corner through Ryan Haynes.
Mo Coulibaly fired wide in the tenth minute but Exeter went up the other end and won a free kick. Quick as a flash, Mr Madley whipped out his spray, to mark the distance that was required. Not that it mattered as this 12th minute kick hit the wall.
Fleck had a shot pushed away by Hannon and Keohane fired at Burge.
McQuoid, Fleck and Haynes combined to win City a 21st minute corner which was followed by a long ranger from Hamon.
On the half hour mark, another good clearance by Jordan Willis gave Exeter a corner. City cleared and Jacksom sprinted through but fired wide of the goal, much to the disgust of Paul Tidsdale, wearing a brown three quarter length wax type jacket and flat cap, more suitable attire for a guest slot on Country File rather than the technical area at the Ricoh Arena.
In the 35th minute corner, City won a corner. Hamon made an initial save and there was Aaron Phillips to lash home and put City in front.
Exeter had Jordan Moore-Taylor limp off as the Sky Blues went looking for a second goal.
They won a 42nd minute corner which Webster fired into the empty seats and on the stroke of half-time, it was two when Aaron Phillips hit a stunning left footed volley high into the net with a 25 yarder.
For the second half, Cov kids Jordan Clarke and James Maddison were sent on for a City side which had to defend two corners before McQuoid won one in the 48th minute.
Ten minutes later and City had a third when Jackson played in Josh McQuoid who raced through to hit a shot which went off Hamon and into the net.
McQuoid was replaced after scoring his goal by George Thomas as the City support in a crowd of 7,273 found their voice.
Simeon Jackson fired across the goal in th 65th minute and although Exeter had a few efforts on goals, City were in control.
Fair play to the Exeter fans for having a sing song song and clearly enjoying themselves whilst at the other end, City went close with a deflection from a 75th minute corner and Conor Thomas as the far post.
The Grecians were able to clear a 77th minute corner as the City support decided to use the lights on their phones to shed some more light on proceedings which saw Ollie Watkins pull a goal back five minutes from time when he was left alone to drill in to the bottom corner.
However, City had done enough and had booked their place in the next round.