Coventry City 3-1 Cambridge United
Coventry City: Burge. Grimmer, Stokes. Davies, McDonald, Doyle. Shipley (Haynes 71), Bayliss, Devon Kelly-Evans (Vincenti 64). Biamou, McNulty. Subs : O'Brien, Hyam, Barrett, Ponticelli,. Beavon
Cambridge United: Forde, Halliday. Carroll, Deegan, Waters (Azeez 72) Taft, O'Neill, Maris, Brown, Darling, Ikpeazu (Corr 85). Subs: Mitov,, Dunk, Phillips, Lewis, Corr, Davies.
Goals Marc McNulty 10, Jordan Shipley 30, George Taft 84, Michael Doyle 91.
Att 6,897
Coventry City beat Cambridge United 3-1 tonight at the Ricoh Arena.
"Back To Life, Back To Reality" is a line in a Soul II Soul song from the late 1980's and for the Sky Blues, after booking an FA Cup Fifth Round tie away to Brighton & Hove Albion, thanks to a memorable win away to MK Dons, it was back to the important business of League Two football and a re-arranged home game against Cambridge United.
On the day that former City striker Cyrille Regis had been laid to rest, Mark Robins named a team which had three changes in it- the most notable being Jordan Wills which immediately got tongues wagging.
In a game watched by a crowd where City had sold 5.500 tickets in advance and a good number of scouts, the Sky Blues took the lead in the tenth minute when Marc McNulty got the ball and curled it past David Forde on his right hand side which has always been weak.
Devon Kelly-Evans volleyed into the side netting after good work from Grimmer who also blocked well for the second of three corners, Cambridge in black shirts and with Gary Deegan making a nuisance of himself, had in the 24th minute.
As the rain came down heavily. Marc McNulty, after getting to a Devon Kelly-Evans ball, sent over a cross to the far post where Jordan Shipley firmly headed into the net and City into a 2-0 lead.
Lee Burge made two good saves before a good half ended, although, his kicking in the first half and at the start of the second was giving the City support something to groan about.
The away fans were next to groan when the referee decided that Ikpeazu, who was a handful all night as expected, was not fouled in the area in the 55th minute and gave a corner instead.
There were some big Sky Blue Army chants from the City support in a crowd given as 6,897 at the same time as Forde recovered to deny McNulty.
Peter Vincenti came on in the 64th minute for a City side which was battling well with some excellent midfield work and good stuff from McNulty and Biamou, whilst the defence looked solid.
Ryan Haynes came on for Shipley and a minute later the away fans were having a go at their manager for the change he made.
A great Grimmer cross was met by McNulty and won City a 77th minute corner which was followed by another.
A booking for McNulty did not go well with some of the City support who felt that it was the Scot who was indeed fouled.
With six minutes left, George Taft headed home following a corner. However, City were not done and Biamou played a ball across the area and Michael Doyle smashed home in stoppage time to give City a 3-1 win.