COVENTRY CITY 1-2 CARDIFF CITY BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City went out of the Premier League Cup with a 2-1 home defeat by Cardiff City at Coventry Sphinx.
With a strong wind gusting around Sphinx Drive, the game was stopped as soon as it started with an injury which saw Cardiff midfielder Charlotte Preen replaced by Jessica Fishlock.
After Helen Jones had been booked for a foul on Natasha Lynch, the Sky Blues created the first opening when a tenth minute Maria Cartwright header was well caught by the visiting keeper Karen Jones.
City were matching the side from the WPL Southern Division in every department and after a 15th minute Amanda Whalley shot had won Coventry a corner, Heidi Lockyer broke through and hit a low drive which Jones dived to her right to push round the post.
Mark Phillips side were looking to go forward at every opportunity but were made to pay for their eagerness in the 19th minute when a through ball bypassed the Sky Blues defence and Jessica Fishlock raced through to fire high into the net.
Jones made another good save from Whalley three minutes later, but it was all Cardiff with the Welsh woman forcing two corner before they went further ahead in the 32nd minute.
A ball in from the right caused panic in the City defence and the unmarked Samantha Gaunt found space in a crowded penalty area to rifle a close range effort into the net.
Coventry captain Laura Healy again was working hard in City's midfield and in the 35th minute,the former Leeds United player turned and drilled a eighteen yard effort which Jones had to dive to save.
Cardiff kept the pressure on City and a lovely diving save by Kelly Cartwright from a Gwennan Harries effort gave the visitors their first corner of three in quick succession before the break.
Karen Weston again was in sterling form and in the 50th minute,she made a superbly timed tackle to prevent Harries from scoring.
Chances were limited as the game wore on but in the 64th minute,another fine Cartwright save with her feet from a Helen Jones effort.
Eight minutes later, Cardiff went even closer when a Caroline Cooper shot from the edge of the area,crashed against the crossbar and was cleared away.
Phillips threw on Katy Box and Michelle Hickmott in an attempt to get something out of the game and in the last minute of normal time, City pulled one back when good work from Amanda Whalley saw her out pace her marker and sent a ball into the six yard box. With the Cardiff defenders seemingly rooted to the spot,Anna McLeod was at the far post to net from very close range.
This set up a grandstand finish with City who face locals rivals Aston Villa on Thursday September 16th at Coventry Sphinx (7.45pm), getting two late corners but they could not get a goal in order to send the match into extra time and it was the visitors who progressed to the next round.
Mark Phillips said: "This was a scrappy game. "We gave them too much respect and we did not come out the traps as fast as we have done. "I spoke to them at half-time and we agreed to do some different things. "In the last ten minutes,we showed what we can do. The late goal made it a bit more interesting for the fans and we nearly did it. "But good luck to Cardiff. I'm sure they will do well in this competition but it's not the end of the world. "We have a big game on Thursday against Aston Villa and we now have to concentrate on that."
Team
K.Cartwright,Lynch,Lipman (Hickmott 71), Healy,Baseley,Weston,Whalley,M.Cartwright (McKenna 83), Lockyer (Box 68),S.Marshall, McLeod SNU J.Marshall,Perry,
City Reserves were beaten 2-1 at home by Tranmere Rovers in their WPL Reserve Section Division 2 game with Kelly Ann Willis netting for the Sky Blues in the 88th minute.
An Abby Adlam hat trick plus strikes from Amy Perrett and Louise Kingsbeer gave City U-11's a 5-0 win over Oadby & Wigston and City U14's beat Aston Villa 3-1 with a Jade Formaston effort and two from Moran.