COVENTRY CITY 3-0 CREWE ALEXANDRA BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City ended a stormy week by pulling off a cup shock as they cruised past Crewe Alexandra in the FA Cup Third Round.
With Peter Reid leaving the club through what was agreed as mutual consent, his assistant Adrian Heath was given the task of managing the team.
Heath made three changes with Steve Staunton replacing Stuart Giddings who had picked up a suspected broken ankle in the defeat against Leeds. Andy Morrell came back in for the injured Dele Adebola and Neil Woods took over from Eddy Johnson who had overcome a toe injury to take a position on the bench.
Crewe boss Dario Gradi was without Dean Ashton who is expected to complete a £2m move to Norwich City in the next few days and had Anthony Tonkin pulled up in the warm up meaning that Steve Jones moved up from the bench to deputise.
There was a late change to the match officials as well and the official brought into run the line was Rob Lewis who had made as many media headlines as Reid's departure had, for his part in costing Tottenham a 1-0 victory at Manchester United.
With the winds that had lashed Lady Godiva's City over the last twenty four hours dying down, City might have gone into the game as underdogs based on league positions but they were in no mood to suffer the same fate that had be fallen them in the league encounter in November.
Gary McSheffrey won an early corner which should have been followed by another,had referee Mr Williamson not spotted something as a close range shot from Stern John cannoned off a defender.
Now there had been much talk about the man who appointed Peter Reid - Michael McGinnity and whether he should stand down.
Such was the discontent with the Chairman who received a vote of confidence prior to the game that a boycott of the game was organised with those participating being asked to donate the ticket price to the Tsunami Appeal.
This had a severe detrimental effect on the attendance with only 7,629 supporters paying to get in. A gate that was the lowest for an home FA Cup tie since 1909 when 6,215 watched the game versus Carlisle.
In the tenth minute, some of those in WT3 launched into a chant of "If You All Want The Chairman Out, Clap Your Hands", it was short and brief and quickly drowned out with a chorus of the Sky Blue song.
Playing a 3-4-3 formation, Stephen Hughes and Michael Doyle were bossing the midfield and in the 12th minute, good work from Hughes won the Sky Blues a corner which Alex keeper Clayton Ince punched away.
Backed by around 600 supporters,the visitors briefly threaten with a 20th minute free kick from David Vaughan missing every one and three minutes later, Mark Rivers sent the ball across the face of the goal before Louis Carey stepped into clear.
The right back from Bristol City was able to get the ball upfield to Stephen Hughes. The City skipper picked out Neil Wood on the left. Wood crossed into the penalty area. Stern John pounced on it and hit a shot which Steve Foster cleared off the line. The clearance went only as far as Gary McSheffrey, some seven yards out of the goal on the right hand side and he keep his cool to fire a low shot past the diving Ince's body and into the net.
The goal drew a huge sigh of relief and the City players settled down whilst some of blocks WT6 and WT7 were asking the Crewe supporters where Dean Ashton had gone to.
Surprisingly, one of the most mild mannered supporters in the country took exception to this and was ejected by the stewards.
In the 33rd minute,Jones just missed with a header from a Kenny Lunt free kick as City stepped up the tempo.
A penalty for handball by Adie Moses from a Staunton flick was turned down, followed by efforts from Wood and Staunton going over Ince's crossbar.
Ince grabbed from a McSheffrey shot at the second attempt and then saved a shot on the turn from Stern John after a lovely ball by Michael Doyle.
On the stroke of half-time, City made their pressure pay when Andy Morrell got down the right and did well to centre the ball whilst taking a knock in the process. Stern John
met the ball and from close range stabbed the ball off a defender and into the net.
The interval saw Dave Bennett,Cyrille Regis and Micky Gynn introduced to the crowd,an appearance of the West Terrace volleyball team and an appearance by Dean Leacock who came on for Louis Carey.
City were straight on the attack with McSheffrey having a shot on the turn and Neil Wood blasting over before Crewe won a 51st minute corner which was well caught by Luke Steele.
The visitors forced Steele in a save then minutes later from a Neil Sorvel shot but in the 68th minute, their chances of progress in the FA Cup were completely eliminated when Leacock fed Morrell who played a superb ball out to Hughes on the right.
Hughes excellently skirted round a defender and picked out the unmarked Gary McSheffrey who netted from ten yards.
Chants of "Are You Watching Peter Reid" rang out from the jubilant supporters before Heath who has indicated an interest in the managers job (along with thirty others), replaced John and Morrell with Suffo and Claus Jorgensen in the 77th minute.
Coventry continued to press forcing three corners as they ran out easy victors.
HT CCFC 2-0 CAFC FT CCFC 3-0 CAFC
ATT 7,629
GOALS - Gary McSheffrey (23,68),Stern John (45)
Man Of The Match Gary McSheffrey won the votes with nominations for Stephen Hughes in what was a good team effort.
TEAM
Steele,Carey (Leacock 46),Staunton, Shaw,Williams,Hughes,Doyle, Wood, John (Suffo 77),Morrell (Jorgensen 77), McSheffrey SNU Shearer,Johnson