Ponticelli Brace Sends City Through In FA Cup

 

Att 3,370

                                                                                                              Coventry City will have ball number 24 in the FA Cup Second Round draw after booking their place in Round 2 with a 2-0 win over Maidenhead United.                

 

A First Round FA Cup tie and always a tricky affair especially for Coventry City whose performances of late have been dependent on what mood the players are in on the day.

 

At Luton, those there saw a 'work your socks off' performance but in the previous games against Forest Green and Colchester, that little bit extra needed to win a game has been missing and against a side eleventh in the National League Premier table, hard work was going to be needed to get City through.

 

This game, moved to a Sunday due to Wasps being at home rather than by the BBC, at the Ricoh Arena saw the Sky Blues making a number of changes with Tom Davies and Jordan Shipley starting. 

 

There was not a bad crowd considering the divisions both teams are in and that nobody bothers about the FA Cup until the Fifth Round onwards, with the home support having to move into a block in the North Stand on a sunny but cold afternoon.               

 

Mark McNulty kicked off the game as supporters still came into the ground with a number having problems their season ticket cards not working.

 

Maidenhead had the first shot in the fourth minute corner with Burge down to comfortably smother a Harry Pritchard effort.

 

James Comley volleyed harmlessly wide from a throw four minutes later before Shipley cut and turned before firing over from distance.

 

Then Pentney came out hit a shot which bounced off Ponticelli and fell for McNulty who had a shot which was cleared off.

 

In the 15th minute. Sam Barratt drove across the goal from twenty yards which was followed by McNulty on the turn firing a shot which flew off the bar.

 

Sam Barratt was deservedly booked for a reckless challenge on Peter Vincenti who got up and helped City win a 22nd minute corner.

 

In the 32nd minute, the away fans' drivel was silenced when the ball came over and Jordan Ponticelli superbly volleyed the Sky Blues ahead.

 

Shipley had a go with a couple of efforts but in the 43rd minute, Shipley cleared and found Jones who ran and got the ball back to cross for Jordan Ponticelli to stroke into the net. 

 

Before the end of the half, Vincenti was booked and replaced at the break by Max Biamou.

 

Jones and Shipley had shots blocked early in the second half before Hyde, who had come on at the interval for the visitors won a 48th minute corner.

 

Burge tipped over a Pritchard free kick for a corner and it was the National League side who had the better first fifteen minutes of the second half.

 

On the hour work, some great work from Jones saw him cross for McNulty to head over from seven yards out.

 

Pentney got down to a McNulty shot blocked in front of a crowd given as 3,370, the receipts of which are split following the deduction of match expenses and one which included Timmy Mallett and Stuart Giddings. 

 

Adrian Clifton got through but hoofed a shot well well wide in the 68th minute and Hyde headed at Burge for a City side which with Davies and McDonald at the back was not too unduly troubled.

 

The Jordans in the City side were replaced in the 73rd minute by Haitian Duckens Nazon and Callum Maycock who had played well for the U23's on this ground last Monday.

 

Grimmer and Jones combined to give City a 77th minute corner which came to nothing,

 

Maidenhead won a corner four minutes later but Michael Doyle who worked well in midfield ensured that things stayed tight and what threat there was from Alan Devonshire's side was contained.

 

Mark McNulty had the ball in the net in the 85th minute but the flag was up for offside, so he had another go with a header which was saved.

 

Jones curled round the post as the game went into stoppage time.

 

Burge saved but City had done enough and were through,