COVENTRY CITY 0-3 CREWE ALEXANDRA
City:Murphy (Dunn 46), Adams, Edjenguele, Wood, Christie, Baker (c), Jennings, Moussa, McSheffrey (Bailey 81), Elliott (Ball 73), Clarke. Subs: J. Clarke, Thomas, Fleck, Barton.
Crewe: Phillips (GK), Tootle, Ellis, Dugdale, Murphy (c), Leitch-Smith, Moore, Mellor, Osman, Aneke, Inman (Guthrie 82). Subs: Martin (GK), Clayton, Turton, Robertson, Colclough, Ray,.
HT CCFC 0-0 CAFC FT CCFC 0-3 CAFC ATT 31,054
Goals Inman 51 & 77, Leith-Smith 84
Referee G.Salisbury. Booked Christie
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Every time Coventry City get a big crowd, we get a big let down and although, City had plenty of chances, poor defending allowed Crewe to leave a sold out Ricoh Arena with a resounding first leg victory.
We are Coventry City and we take our big nights in whatever way they come. Now, the Johnstone's Paint Trophy is not the biggest competition in which the Sky Blues have ever played but it is one that City are more than capable of winning.
With Burton, York, Sheffield Utd and Preston dispatched, City had made it to the Northern Area Final.
For opponents Crewe, this game was nothing new but for the success starved City support whose potential is often under-estimated, this was an occasion not to be missed and it was no surprise that the sensibly priced tickets in the home areas were sold out, including some tickets twice, more than a week before tonight's game at the Ricoh Arena.
Mark Robins, as expected, kept faith with the team that had won at Sheffield United whilst Crewe left Max Clayton who scored the only goal the last time the sides met and whom they had pulled out of an England U19's game, on the bench.
In a ground that was not full and pockets of empty seats dotted about, especially in the Main Stand, Crewe had the first chance in the fifth minute through Osman who flashed high and wide.
In the 15th minute, City, playing in the driving rain, won a free kick for handball. That was cleared but in the next attack, Leon Clarke went wide of Phillps' left hand post.
It was good to hear the encouragement from the City support and that helped to win two corners in the 20th minute.
After Leitch-Smith had the ball in the net, City won a corner, Philips saved in a scramble and Blair Adams flashed a shot in to the away end, Clarke just missed as did Steve Jennings.
In the 34th minute, Osman sent a diving header a yard or so wide of Murphy's left hand post.
Baker had a go on goal, City won two corners and Jennings blasted over but there were no goals at the break.
City made a change at the break with Chris Dunn on for Joe Murphy who had suffered a hamstring injury and three minutes into the second half, Stephen Elliott got into the area but Steve Phillips made a terrific save diving to his left to push around for a corner.
Then Crewe attacked. The ball came over to the unmarked Bradden Inman, who was left free to lash a shot across Dunn and into the net to give the visitors the benefit of an away leg, a 51st minute lead.
In the 56th minute, Phillips somehow saved from Elliott's back and four minutes later, Franck Moussa, firing wide. The hard working midfield created another chance for Baker who again was denied by the left arm of Phillips.
City were piling on the pressure. Baker hit the post in the 63rd minute with a drive from the edge of the area and an Elliott cross was inches away from its intended target.
In the 73rd minute, Mark Robins sent on Callum Ball to join Leon Clarke up front.
However, four minutes later, some in the crowd of 31,054, were heading for home when Bradden Inman, who is on loan from Newcastle, was given as much time as he wanted to dance through and fire past Dunn.
We then had the sight of a person with no shirt on the pitch. The City players tried to get the individual who was roundly booed him off the pitch including Christie who was booked for kicking out.
With six minutes to go, the ground really started to empty when Leitch Smith was allowed to hit a third with a soft goal which should have been stopped either by Dunn or the defence.
Dunn made a great save to prevent a fourth as the night ended with City's Wembley dream lies in tatters.