COVENTRY CITY 1-2 WORCESTER CITY
City : Burge (sent off 38), Willis (McQuoid 57), Johnson, Haynes, Martin, Finch, O'Brien, Jackson, Barton (Tudgay 66), Nouble (Allsop 39), Maddison. Subs: Allsop, Webster, Thomas, Coulibaly, Phillips, Tudgay.
Worcester: Vaughan, Williams, Weir, Hutchison, Thomas, Jackman, Nti (Dunkley 75), Deeney, Symons (Wright 51). Geddes ( Gater 73) Murphy. Subs: Rowe, McDermott, Taylor, Kier
HT CCFC 0-1 WCFC FT CCFC 1-2 WCFC
Goals Sean Geddes 39 pen & 54, Reda Johnson 81
Referee Ross Joyce.
ATT 8439
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Coventry City paid the penalty for not being up for the cup and suffered a highly embarrassing 2-1 defeat to Worcester City.
As we all know there is nothing magical about losing in the FA Cup to a non-league side, so for Coventry City, there was only one target today for the First Round tie against Worcester City and that was making sure that the Sky Blues were in the draw for the Second Round.
Steven Pressley took no chances and fielded his strongest possible team against the Conference North side which included Danny NTI who was the leading goalscorer in the Midland Alliance for Loughborough University a couple of years ago.
Nti, might know where the net was at Sphinx Drive on previous visits to Coventry but the Ricoh Arena was a different prospect and saw Worcester bring nearly six times their average gate for matches at Aggborough.
With those who have served in wars and conflicts remembered on this Remembrance Sunday, the match kicked off with Nti firing wide in the opening seconds.
Steven Pressley in his coat looked on nervous as a Jordan Murphy shot was blocked and Geddes fired over.
Worcester earned another corner in the tenth minute which had to be scrambled away for another.
City were nervous early on, struggling to win second balls, despite the efforts of Reda Johnson who was wearing a bandage to protect the stitches he had during the draw at Leyton Orient.
Worcester in green shirts and black shorts with white socks, had rely on their second choice keeper Nathan Vaughan for a 24th minute save from an O'Brien free kick which was headed on.
Both sides won a corner and Haynes fired wide before the visitors won another corner in the 33rd minute which led to Geddes firing wide from twenty yards and before the Worcester number ten missed with a 35th minute header.
Things got worse in the 38th minute when Lee Burge was sent off and Worcester were awarded a penalty for a trip on Nti. The fact Burge was initially impeded by Nti before he kicked out at him, was ignored by the referee who blew his whistle for a spot kick which was cooly stroked home by Sean Geddes who scored past Ryan Allsop who has come on for Frank Nouble, a decision which did not go down well amongst some of the City support.
Three minutes were added on and in stoppage time, City were awarded a penalty for a foul on James Maddison. Upstepped Reda Johnson but he hit a poor kick and Vaughan went the right way to save.
The mood was sombre as the second half started. Chants of 'City' filled the air but they were referring to Worcester City who made a 51st minute substitution and then hit the post from a corner a minute later.
That proved only a marker as in the 54th minute, Geddes was allowed to shoot totally unchallenged and hit a shot which flew past the diving Allsop.
Pressley, sent on Josh McQuoid as some City fans got up and walked out, others berated the players or just sat in total disbelief.
Even Jim O'Brien had given up chasing the ball he would normally would have as Worcester should have had a third goal in the 65th minute but only got a corner.
Marcus Tudgay was the third City player to be brought on for a City side who were starting to show a bit more urgency.
Maddison, who along with Ryan Haynes, was one of a few City players giving it their best shot, had a shot saved and Ellis Deeney fired wide at the other end.
Then with nine minutes left and City pulled a goal back with a diving header from Reda Johnson, who had been sent up front, following a Maddison free kick.
The mood lifted briefly in the hope of a grandstand finish and as Mr Joyce brandished cards. Arron Martin fired wide
We sat hoping for a goal on a pitch that was badly was cut up, that would bring a replay as seven minutes were announced but it was not to be and despite the efforts of Ryan Allsop who made two good late saves to keep the score down down, City were out and Worcester had the win their performance deserved.
This was a dreadful performance and one losing to a club three divisions below left the despondent City support wondering where the club goes from here.