AFC WIMBLEDON 1-3 COVENTRY CITY
City:Murphy, Adams, Webster, J. Clarke, Christie, Thomas, Barton, Moussa (Phillips 86), Baker (C), L. Clarke, Wilson. Subs: Burge,Haynes, Garner, Thomas, Maund, Baker-Richardson.
AFC Wimbledon: Brown (GK), Fuller, Kennedy, Moore, Frampton, Bennett (c), Francomb (L.Moore 70), Pell (Midson 72), Smith, Sweeney, Porter. Subs: Fenlon Worner, Sainte-Luce, Sheringham, Weston.
HT AFCW 0-0 CCFC FT AFCW 1-3 CCFC ATT 3379
Goals Michael Smith 54, Callum Wilson 56, Carl Baker 59, Callum Kennedy OG 69
Referee D.Drysdale Booked Christie
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Coventry City progressed to the FA Cup Second Round with a scrappy 3-1 victory at AFC Wimbledon.
The lateness of tickets going on sale following BT Sports finally announcing details of the game that was live, some two days after ITV had announced their game, meant that approaching kick off time there was a mad rush and kick off was delayed for 15 minutes.
Thankfully, most of our Southern support including many it is always a pleasure to see at matches and those who suffered horrendous travel problems including myself having travelled from Denmark, were in the ground to see City, in sky blue, win two early corners.
The 502 strong City support, who gave the BT Sport officials plenty of abuse were in great voice, demanding that Pressley give those in the side terrace at a Kingsmeadow ground which is good enough for Kingstonian FC, a wave which the manager of the month for October, who was giggling when the City fans asked where his waistcoat was, duly did.
In the eighth minute, Joe Murphy, playing in a City side which had two changes from the team that had beaten Notts County, made a stunning save from a Pell shot from twelve yards to concede a corner and two minutes saved again from Porter.
As expected, Wimbledon had plenty of huff and puff and made things difficult but Callum Wilson won a corner, which led to a throw that was cleared and Andy Webster made a great tackle to stop Neal Ardley's team who were playing with two up front.
Wilson let rip in the 25th minute with a stinging shot and Murphy saved with his feet from Smith as this tight game continued.
The second half started with Joe Murphy the busier before Wilson won a corner.
However, a Jordan Clarke clearance fell for Porter, who crossed from the right for Michael Smith to glance a header past Murphy to give the Dons a 54th minute lead.
Some City supporters to my left had just started a chorus of “We Always Believe”, when two minutes after the Wombles goal, City were level when Cyrus Christie crossed which Seb Brown flapped at, pushing the ball upwards. When the orange coloured matchball came down, there was Callum Wilson to tap in the net.
The City fans went mental and in the 59th minute, Moussa crossed and Carl Baker, who had started the move, netted from six yards causing more high jinks in the away end.
A handful of Wimbledon fans tried to have a go at the City support and were ejected as the City support had the fourth official laughing as they informed the referee that he was no Howard Webb.
Franck Moussa, who worked hard for the City cause along with the rest of his team mates, who to their credit, had swiftly replied after conceding a goal, made a good run in the 68th minute before he was hacked down. Carl Baker stepped up and hit a free kick which went round the wall and hit Callum Kennedy and totally wrong-footing Brown, a late replacement for Worner, who was reportedly held up in the traffic for a third goal which wrapped up the match.
Brown saved from Wilson to ironic cheers from the City fans, who were informing the lanky Pell that he was a rather poor Peter Crouch.
The City fans were now revealing in an atmosphere that is not recreated in the majority of all seater stadiums and although Murphy made another great save in the 83rd minute, the Dons had already had the stuffing knocked out of them.
Aaron Philips was sent on for Franck Moussa and the Dons had a corner as City completed the job they had come to do by avoiding any upset and booking their place in Round Two.