COVENTRY CITY 2-1 MILLWALL FC BY KEV MONKS
Team
Konstantopolous,Osbourne,Ward,Borrowdale,Davis,Tabb,S.Hughes,Doyle,Gray,Adebola (Simpson 71),Mifsud (Best 89) SNU Cairo,Francis,Thornton
Millwall
Evans,Senda,Robinson,Barron,Frampton,Simpson,Fuselini (Harris 78),Dunne,Forbes (Brammer 65),Alexander,Grabban SNU Edwards,ayogo,Shaw
Ref N. Miller Booked Gray,Senda,Robinson
Att 17 268 Goals Stephen Hughes (15), Jay Simpson (41), Michael Mifsud (51)
MOM Stephen Hughes just pipped Jay Tabb and Elliott Ward in the votes
________________
STARTING FORMATION
Iain Dowie made three changes for this FA Cup 4th Round tie. Gary Borrowdale took over at centre half with Stephen Hughes and Dele Adebola coming back in.
Mifsud Adebola
Gray Doyle Hughes Tabb
Davis Borrowdale Ward Osbourne
Konstantopolous
_______________
Coventry City are through to the FA Cup Fifth Round after beating Millwall 2-1.
On a sunny afternoon at the Arena in front of an about expected crowd, this was a tale of two sides who are at the wrong end of the table in their respective divisions and both needing cup progression to add to their finances and prolong their season.
With injuries piling up and Iain Dowie not able to sign a non-cup tied centre half, Gary Borrowdale was moved over to the centre back position to partner Elliott Ward whilst Lions boss Kenny Jackett left Richard Shaw on the bench.
The game whose build up had been pretty low key, started lively. Dele Adebola headed over in the sixth minute and two later, Davis had to concede a corner.
As the ball came in, Dimi colided with Elliott Ward. Grabban was at the far post to get in a header. Jay Tabb headed off the line. Gary Alexander raced into with a header which Liam Davis cleared off the line.
In the 15th minute, City took the lead. A free kick was taken by Stephen Hughes some 22 yards out. The midfielder drove the ball low and it beat Rhys Evans into the net.
Any thoughts that this was going to be the second half performance we witnessed at Blackburn in the previous round soon disappeared as the Lions started to fight back.
When any City player tried to attack, there was a Millwall player into block and when the visitors did get the ball, they looked a threat on the break.
One such break came in the 26th minute and saw Dimi have to make a good stop with his legs to deny Grabban.
At times, it looked like the referee Nigel Miller was losing the plot and a drop ball which ended up with Michael Doyle being kicked in his set, provoked boos and jeers from the City faithful.
Whilst it was jeers amongst the City support, at the other end, the 2437 noisy visiting supporters, who kept the police on their toes all day, went ballistic in the 41st minute. Jay Simpson scoring was the reason of their delight. The player on loan from Arsenal was left all alone by City's defence and had time to smash the ball high into the net from sixteen yards.
City were booed off at the break and Iain Dowie must have read the riot act to his players who emerged fired up.
Dimi made another save with his feet from Simpson but in the 51st minute, the Sky Blues were back in front. Julian Gray, who has been linked with a move to Derby or Reading, crossed from the left. Elliott Ward jumped up with the former Chelsea reserves keeper, allowing the ball to get to Dele Adebola who hit the post. Back came the ball and there was FA Player Of The Third Round Michael Mifsud to drive it into the net.
The goal lifted the Sky Blues and the home support who were now singing and getting behind the team.
Fuseini missed with a free header just after the hour mark and in the 71st minute, the tired Dele Adebola was replaced by Robbie Simpson.
City kept pressing but a Millwall defender was always able to stick out a leg or get in the way and block the ball.
With five minutes remaining, substitute Neil Harris should have earned his side a replay when he was through on goal with only Dimi to beat. Unbelieveably, he scuffed the ball wide from ten yards out.
I had hoped that Kenny Jackett would have given the last couple of minutes to Richard Shaw but it was Iain Dowie who made the last change of the game. Michael Mifsud left to good applause but he was replaced by Leon Best, who last week handed in a transfer request after a £1m bid by Nottingham Forest was rejected.
The noise of booing and some verbal abuse from the City support was deafening in some parts of the ground and he was booed every time he touched the ball, including when he won a stoppage time corner to keep the ball at the CT Stand which ensured that Coventry City are in the Fifth Round.