BRISTOL CITY 3-3 COVENTRY CITY BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City are through to the FA Cup Fourth Round draw after one of the most dramatic cup ties the club have played in for years.
Some twenty years ago, City started their road to Wembley against a team starting with the letter B and ended up winning the FA Cup.
Twenty years later,just under 3,000 City supporters headed down the M5 (or up the M4) to Bristol City in pouring rain for the first visit of the Sky Blues since 1979.
With recent form meaning that the Sky Blues were the underdogs ,Micky Adams named a side which had Luke Steele who has signed until the end of the season in goal,
Elliott Ward, who "officially" had a hamstring injury but was more than likely left out to increase his transfer value with Birmingham,Charlton and Fulham rumoured to be after his services and was replaced by Ben Turner who battled well on his first team full start.
Adam Virgo was moved to right back with Colin Cameron coming back into midfield.
Gary Johnson's side were without former Sky Blue Louis Carey who had picked up an ankle injury in their New Year's Day draw at Leyton Orient.
With the rain having stopped and the City fans forced to watch the game from a dilapidated Wedlock stand with its view restricting pillars and backless seats, the Sky Blues started well.
Dele Adebola missed early on but in the twelfth minute,he ran on to a through ball from Kevin Kyle and played it inside for Colin Cameron who drove the ball into the net.
We were still celebrating this strike when the League One were level straight from the restart when Steve Brooker was given too much room to turn and rifle a low shot past Steele into the bottom corner.
Five minutes later and the Robins took the lead. Enoch Showunmi rose on the left and nodded down to the right of the net. Robert Page got back to get his right foot to flick the ball away but the assistant referee on the stand to our right and who certainly did not look up with play gave the signal to referee Mr Joslin and the goal was given.
The gloom was starting to set in and with City supporters arguing amongst themselves, a third goal came for the home side when Phil Jevons made no mistake with a free header from a Showunmi ball.
One of the problems for this three goals in eight minute spell was that Andy Whing and Adam Virgo were playing on the wrong sides. Adams changed that and City started to get back into the game.
The passing improved and into 32nd minute,a neat move saw Isaac Osbourne flick on to Doyle who slipped in Leon McKenzie to stab the ball into the net.
Everyone stood looking at the assistant referee but there was no flag and as the Coventry supporters celebrated, Michael Doyle rumoured to be also on his way,tried to gee up the massed ranks of City supporters behind him.
The biggest cheer came at half-time when Tommy Hutchison who now works for Bristol's community department was introduced to the 13,336 crowd.
Hutch received a standing ovation from both sets of supporters and another went up from the Coventry supporters when Stern John came on at the interval for Dele Adebola.
Like many others, I would have replaced Kevin Kyle at the break as he was struggling against the man mountain that was the Robin's number five Jamie McCombe.
And five minutes into the second half,Kyle pulled up and was replaced by Wayne Andrews.
With two pacey men up front and by keeping the ball on the deck, City started to look like they were not going out of the competition without putting up a fight.
My Man Of The Match Andy Whing was finding more room down the right flank. A lovely cross from Whing, who could have been turning out for Brighton today had a bid been accepted, was tipped over for a corner.
Stern John fired over from a McKenzie cut back and with twenty minutes left. City won a free kick from an inconsistent referee. The ball was knocked down to Colin Cameron but his shot from twelve yards agonisingly thumped the crossbar.
There was a good sense that this cup tie was not over.
Bristol City whose fans in the Main Stand had taunted Micky Adams with chants of "You'll Be Sacked By 5pm", forced Adam Virgo to clear off the line in the 74th minute.
With ten minutes left, Jay Tabb was sent to warm up but he was not needed as City tied the match.
Wayne Andrews got into a great position on the left,saw off a marker and cut the ball inside for Stern John. The striker linked with a move back to Birmingham was some six yards out but got to the ball and thumped it into the net.
The celebrations in the away end were raucous as Bristol went up the other end and Steele made a save with his feet.
A bit more effort could have brought a Sky Blue winner but a replay and a place in the Fourth Round was more than acceptable considering recent performances.
Coventry City are through to the FA Cup Fourth Round draw after one of the most dramatic cup ties the club have played in for years.
Some twenty years ago, City started their road to Wembley against a team starting with the letter B and ended up winning the FA Cup.
Twenty years later,just under 3,000 City supporters headed down the M5 (or up the M4) to Bristol City in pouring rain for the first visit of the Sky Blues since 1979.
With recent form meaning that the Sky Blues were the underdogs ,Micky Adams named a side which had Luke Steele who has signed until the end of the season in goal,
Elliott Ward, who "officially" had a hamstring injury but was more than likely left out to increase his transfer value with Birmingham,Charlton and Fulham rumoured to be after his services and was replaced by Ben Turner who battled well on his first team full start.
Adam Virgo was moved to right back with Colin Cameron coming back into midfield.
Gary Johnson's side were without former Sky Blue Louis Carey who had picked up an ankle injury in their New Year's Day draw at Leyton Orient.
With the rain having stopped and the City fans forced to watch the game from a dilapidated Wedlock stand with its view restricting pillars and backless seats, the Sky Blues started well.
Dele Adebola missed early on but in the twelfth minute,he ran on to a through ball from Kevin Kyle and played it inside for Colin Cameron who drove the ball into the net.
We were still celebrating this strike when the League One were level straight from the restart when Steve Brooker was given too much room to turn and rifle a low shot past Steele into the bottom corner.
Five minutes later and the Robins took the lead. Enoch Showunmi rose on the left and nodded down to the right of the net. Robert Page got back to get his right foot to flick the ball away but the assistant referee on the stand to our right and who certainly did not look up with play gave the signal to referee Mr Joslin and the goal was given.
The gloom was starting to set in and with City supporters arguing amongst themselves, a third goal came for the home side when Phil Jevons made no mistake with a free header from a Showunmi ball.
One of the problems for this three goals in eight minute spell was that Andy Whing and Adam Virgo were playing on the wrong sides. Adams changed that and City started to get back into the game.
The passing improved and into 32nd minute,a neat move saw Isaac Osbourne flick on to Doyle who slipped in Leon McKenzie to stab the ball into the net.
Everyone stood looking at the assistant referee but there was no flag and as the Coventry supporters celebrated, Michael Doyle rumoured to be also on his way,tried to gee up the massed ranks of City supporters behind him.
The biggest cheer came at half-time when Tommy Hutchison who now works for Bristol's community department was introduced to the 13,336 crowd.
Hutch received a standing ovation from both sets of supporters and another went up from the Coventry supporters when Stern John came on at the interval for Dele Adebola.
Like many others, I would have replaced Kevin Kyle at the break as he was struggling against the man mountain that was the Robin's number five Jamie McCombe.
And five minutes into the second half,Kyle pulled up and was replaced by Wayne Andrews.
With two pacey men up front and by keeping the ball on the deck, City started to look like they were not going out of the competition without putting up a fight.
My Man Of The Match Andy Whing was finding more room down the right flank. A lovely cross from Whing, who could have been turning out for Brighton today had a bid been accepted, was tipped over for a corner.
Stern John fired over from a McKenzie cut back and with twenty minutes left. City won a free kick from an inconsistent referee. The ball was knocked down to Colin Cameron but his shot from twelve yards agonisingly thumped the crossbar.
There was a good sense that this cup tie was not over.
Bristol City whose fans in the Main Stand had taunted Micky Adams with chants of "You'll Be Sacked By 5pm", forced Adam Virgo to clear off the line in the 74th minute.
With ten minutes left, Jay Tabb was sent to warm up but he was not needed as City tied the match.
Wayne Andrews got into a great position on the left,saw off a marker and cut the ball inside for Stern John. The striker linked with a move back to Birmingham was some six yards out but got to the ball and thumped it into the net.
The celebrations in the away end were raucous as Bristol went up the other end and Steele made a save with his feet.
A bit more effort could have brought a Sky Blue winner but a replay and a place in the Fourth Round was more than acceptable considering recent performances.
HT BCFC 3-2 CCFC
FT BCFC 3-3 CCFC
ATT 13,336
Goals Colin Cameron (12),
Steve Booker (13),Enoch Showunmi (15),Phil Jevons (21), Leon McKenzie (32),Stern John (80)
Referee P.Joslin Booked Doyle,Johnson,Lyle,Virgo,McAllister
Team
Steele,Whing,Page, Turner,Virgo, Cameron, Osbourne,Doyle,McKenzie,Kyle (Andrews 51),Adebola (John 46) SNU Tabb,Birchall,Marshall
Bristol City
Brasso,Orr,McCombe,Keogh,McAllister,Russell,Murray, Johnson,Jevons (Skuse 60),Showunmi, Brooker. SNU Fontaine,Noble,Weale,Myrie-Williams