COVENTRY CITY 0-5 WEST BROMWICH ALBION BY KEV MONKS
Team
Marshall,De Zeeuw (Birchall 75),Hall,Ward,Doyle (Sent off 48),Osbourne, Mifsud,Tabb,Best,Simpson (Thornton 75) ,M.Hughes
SNU Konstantopolus,Gray,Borrowdale
WEST BROM
Kiely,Hoefkins,Barnett,Pele,Albrechtsen,Robinson,Morrison,Tiexiera (Kim 73),Brunt,Gera (Beattie 78),Bednar (Miller 69). SNU Danek,Phillips
HT CCFC 0-1 WBAFC FT CCFC 0-5 WBAFC
Ref Mike Halsey
Booked Barnett Sent Off Doyle (48)
Att 28,163
Goal Chris Brunt (11), Roman Bednar (58 & 67 pen), Ishmael Miller (76), Zoltan Gera (77)
Man Of The Match All the City supporters for turning up
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STARTING LINE UP
With Scott Dann and Danny Fox, Harbin and Bunn were forced into three changes. Marcus Hall and Arjan De Zeeuw came in at the back. Robbie Simpson replaced Julian Gray who took his place on the bench.
Simpson Best Mifsud
M. Hughes Doyle Tabb
Hall De Zeeuw Ward Osbourne
Marshall
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CITY SUPPORT
The crowd was what you would expect for the biggest Cup game the club have played since moving to the Arena. After this performance, getting them back into the Arena is going to be a problem.
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It is going to take a very brave man to be the next manager of Coventry City. Not only do you have prospects of only a year in the job (ok you get paid for three) but you have a squad of players clearly lacking leadership and direction and this was evident as Coventry City crashed out of the FA Cup with a 5-0 home defeat by West Bromwich Albion.
Both sets of supporters packed the Arena on a sunny but cold day for this Fifth Round FA Cup tie and saw a City side with three changes from the side which had bore-drawed against Cardiff on Tuesday night take the field.
With City not able to string two passes together, it was the Baggies who opened the scoring in the eleventh minute. A cross from the right and Chris Brunt was left free to head in to the Jewson Stand net.
Michael Doyle went inches wide when a free kick came back to him on the edge of the area but not being able to find players was not helping City's cause.
More hit and hope football from the Sky Blues followed inbetween Best heading over and a stunning 35th minute save by Andy Marshall from a free kick.
Three minutes into the second half and City were down to ten men when Michael Doyle saw red for what appeared an innocuous challenge on Zoltan Gera. The Hungarian had screamed out after kicking the ball past Doyle who arrived at the same time. The pair collided and play was waved on by referee Mike Halsey. The ball was out of play seconds later and Mr Halsey came over to the Tesco's Stand side of the pitch to wave a red card at the Irishman.
Now the visitors were having an easy time of it anyway and with their numerical supremcy, they were allowed to press home their advantage by a shambolic City defence.
A second goal for Albion came in the 58th minute when a mistake in the defence led to Roman Bednar being able to walk the ball round Marshall and tap into an empty net.
In the 67th minute, City supporters started heading for the exit when West Brom scored a third. This time, it was from a penalty converted by Roman Bednar, who had been stopped from getting to the best ball of the match cleanly by Aarjan De Zeeuw.
All the ageing Dutchman had to do was to shield the ball with his body, but stuck out his left hand and the referee and assistant were correctly placed to award a penalty kick.
De Zeeuw was booed as he was replaced as was Robbie Simpson, whose ability to be easily brushed off the ball was again highly evident.
Chris Birchall and Kevin Thornton who scored twice for the Reserves v Northampton on Wednesday, had only been on the pitch for just over a minute when The Baggies scored again. City's midfield and defence all stood still as Ishmael Miller strolled through and stroked the ball past Marshall.
Even more City supporters got up and missed West Brom get a fifth in the 77th minute thanks to Zoltan Gera, being allowed to walk through and round Marshall to score with so much ease.
Those who hadn't left, especially in the CT Stand, started to take out their frustrations. Ray Ranson copped the most abuse with chants of "Sack The Board", "Crook" and "Puppet" aimed at the dyed hair Chairman by many supporters who clearly rely on what was written in the main stream media for their information on the comings and goings at this club and thought the decision to sack Iain Dowie was premature.
This was followed by chants of "There's Only One Iain Dowie" and "Iain Dowie's Sky Blue Army". I heard them continue as I left the stadium, very annoyed at this latest capitulation for which those who played must take full responsibility.