City's FA Cup Dream Goes On

Last updated : 01 December 2012 By Covsupport News Service

COVENTRY CITY 2-1 MORECAMBE 

City: Dunn, Christie (Clarke 86), Wood, Edjenguele, Adams, Baker, McSheffrey, Jennings, Barton, Moussa, O'Donovan. Subs Burge, Cameron, MacDonald,Fleck, Ball, Lobjoit 

Morecambe: Roche, Fenton, Threlfall (Haining 88), Wright, Allesandra, Ellison, McCready, Drummond, Fleming, Gary McDonald (Reid 69), Redshaw (Parkinson 80). Subs: Arestidou, McGee, Parrish, Doyle

HT CCFC 1-0 MFC FT CCFC 2-1 MFC

ATT 6339

Goals Gary McSheffrey pen 38, Carl Baker 46, Kevin Ellison 76

Referee C.Boyeson

Booked Roche, O'Donovan, Fleming 

Man Of The Match - Carl Baker took the votes with nominations for Steve Jennings and William Edjenguele.

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Coventry City are through to the FA Cup Third Round after a 2-1 victory over Morecambe. 

With David McGoldrick and Jamie Bailey not allowed to play by their parent clubs, Mark Robins was forced to change his team and brought in Roy O'Donovan and Adam Barton for a game on a sunny but cold afternoon at the end of a week where the talk has been about the stadium rather than on the field matters.

After respects had been paid by those in the East Stand, Main Stand and Away End to the late Dave Sexton with a minute's applause, The Shrimps, who have a habit of starting brightly were soon on the attack, forcing Chris Dunn, who was deputising for the injured Joe Murphy, into pushing away a fifth minute shot from Lewis Alessandra after Richard Wood had lost the ball.

Franck Moussa, who had said in the week that he still found the FA Cup 'magical', conjured up the Sky Blues first effort on goal when he fired over from fourteen yards.

Roy O'Donovan was playing as a lone striker but he struggled to get any decent service early on and forced to drop back time and time again as Morecambe kept their back line tight.

As some of the 610 away fans at the back of the stand continued to jump up and down, keeping themselves warm, Kevin Ellison, a former player for Mark Robins at Rotherham, fired a shot at Dunn.

In the 23rd minute, Steve Jennings, who was roaming around the centre of midfield, fired a long ranger at Wicklow hailing Barry Roche, who has also played for Forest and Chesterfield

Fleming had a long ranger cleared for a 28th minute corner. The very poor flag kick was cleared and Roy O'Donovan made a great run before supplying Gary McSheffrey who raced on but flicked wide of the North Stand goal.

In the 36th minute, there were hoots of derision from the away fans when Dunn conceded a corner. Dunn caught the incoming corner and the ball went up to Gary McSheffrey who tried to round Roche who pulled him down for a penalty. McSheffrey stepped up and City were ahead. 

A free kick led to a corner and Richard Wood headed over a Jennings cross before the half end.

Back out for the second half and City, who have been struggling to pay their stewards their holiday pay, got the ball on the right and Carl Baker, against his former club, scored with a stunning shot, some 21 seconds in. 

Eight minutes later and McSheffrey got in from the left after some good work by the hard working Barton and forced Roche to dive to his right to save.

Cyrus Christie also worked well, and one of his raids down the right won a 58th minute corner which came to Baker who drove across the area.

O'Donovan appealed for a penalty, backed by the East Stand just before the hour mark, but nothing was given and City carried on taking the game to Jim Bentley's side.

A free kick and a 65th minute corner for City came to nothing but a minute later, Moussa got past Roche and Richard Wood helped the ball into the net. Up went the all yellow flag of the assistant on the Main Stand side and the goal was chalked off.

Referee Mr Boyeson ignored claims by the Morecambe players for a handball by Christie before Bentley made his first substitution of a now dark and cold afternoon.

In the 76th minute, those predicting 2-1 City, had the score right when Christie stood off Kevin Ellison who smashed a right footed shot from twenty yards into the net with Dunn having no chance.

The last thing City wanted was a replay on December 11th. Morecambe won two corners and although things got a bit scary, City held on to book their place in Round Three.