COVENTRY CITY 5-1 WALSALL FC
City: Murphy (GK), Wood, Edjenguele, Christie, Adams, Jennings, Bailey (Barton 86), Baker (c), Moussa (Fleck 75), McShefffrey (McDonald 75), McGoldrick. Subs: Dunn (GK), Clarke, Willis, O'Donovan.
Walsall: McCarey (GK), Taundry, Butler (c) (sent off 80), Holden, Featherstone (Hemmings 85), Grigg, Paterson (Chambers 67), Brandy (Downing 83), Taylor, Mantom, Westcarr. Subs: Grof (GK), Bowerman, Downing, Baxendale, Chambers.
HT CCFC 3-1 WFC FT CCFC 5-1 WFC ATT 10,986
Goals Blair Adams OG 14, Carl Baker 28 & 83, David McGoldrick 38 &
41, Cyrus Christie 61
Referee N.Miller
Booked Baker, Brandy, Featherstone, McGoldrick. Butler x2, Taylor
Man Of The Match - Carl Baker took the votes with nominations for Cyrus Christie and David McGoldrick.
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Super Coventry City might have off field problems but they caused loads on the field to beat Walsall 5-1.
Yet again the soap opera that is Coventry City has thrown in a few more subplots that took away the attention of this derby against a Walsall side who could possibly be the Sky Blues next landlords along with Nene Park or St Andrews.
Mark Robins kept the faith with the team that had set up a JPT Semi-Final with either Bury or Preston North End next year and fielded an unchange side for this game against the Saddlers who included City supporter Jamie Paterson and were backed by 1,072 fans from the North Birmingham area.
City, whose players were asking if they would still get paid, had to defend early on before David McGoldrick had a fifth minute shot.
City cleared a corner and Franck Moussa was sent on his way but he could only run the ball into the keeper.
In the 13th minute, City nearly took the lead when McGoldrick turned and fired wide. Walsall attacked straight away and Blair Adams could do nothing to stop Grigg's shot deflecting into the net.
City did go close in the 26th minute with two efforts, the second saw a great ball from McGolderick just miss McSheffrey.
There was good work in a number of areas from the City players, who were now playing well as a unit.
Two minutes later, City won a corner. The ball came back to Baker who had picked up his fifth booking and he equalised with a low finish.
The Saddlers won two corner before the song "Take Me Home Highfield Road" echoed around a ground which has hampered the club's progress since 2005, after deals were done by those with personal agendas which should not have been.
Suddenly, smiles were back on faces when David McGoldrick hit two goals in the space of three minutes.
The first saw McGoldrick round the keeper and slot home and the second, the loanee brought the ball down inside the six yard box to finish well and send Coventry in 3-1 up at the break.
Four minutes into the second half. Grigg flicked wide when through before McGoldrick curled one onto the left hand post six minutes later.
McGoldrick deserved a hat-trick but in the 61st minute, it was the excellent Cyrus Christie who scored when he cut inside the area and scored with a drive across the box.
Chants for the old five were heard as McGoldrick was cautioned for a bit of handbags with Butler and Paterson, who had done nothing on his first appearance at the Ricoh was replaced.
In the 75th minute after a great move had won a corner and then a good move between McSheffrey and Baker, McSheffrey was replaced along with Moussa. Both left to a great ovation.
Murphy against one of his former clubs, pulled off a stunning save before the away fans still in the ground thought they had scored but failed to spot the flag from the assistant on the main stand side.
With ten minutes left,a foul by Andy Butler saw him sent off for a second bookable.
Those shouting for the Old Five got their wish as Carl Baker worked to create space and scored with a left footer, before Adam Barton came on for another cameo role as super City gave their fans something to sing about.