Rochdale 1 - 1 Coventry City (Rochdale win after penalties)

[dutchman]

[dutchman]

Sky Blues were defeated at Spotland after a penalty shoot-out with Ruben Lameiras missing the decisive spot kick



Tony Mowbray made it clear in his pre-match interviews that Saturday’s League One trip to Milwall is much higher on his list of priorities.

But he had the worst of all worlds at Spotland last night as his side endured a gruelling physical battle and an emotion-draining shoot-out defeat on their way to a first-round exit.

The standard of the penalties was remarkably high, but Ruben Lameiras was the unfortunate fall-guy, spooning his attempt against the bar after a stuttering run-up and allowing Calvin Andrew to drill in the winner.

With the cup-tied Adam Armstrong and the mildly concussed Jordan Willis unavailable, Mowbray also rested Reda Johnson, James Maddison and goalkeeper Lee Burge from Saturday’s selection – Charles Reice-Cook making his senior debut between the posts while newly-arrived Middlesbrough prospect Bryn Morris was also handed a first start.

Another replacement, Marcus Tudgay, picked up what will surely rank as one of the most absurd bookings of the season in the 11th minute when Josh Lillis punted the ball straight at him on the edge of the box. Tudgay had his back to the keeper, his feet on the ground and his arms to his sides, but Eddie Ilderton ruled that it was not only a foul but one worthy of a yellow card.

The City fans’ annoyance at that injustice quickly dissipated in the 15th minute, however, as home supporters generously joined in a round of applause in honour of 15-year-old Jayden Parsons, who tragically died on Saturday.

Dale were finding plenty of space on the flanks and pumped a series of dangerous balls across the box, Vincenti heading over from one before Bunney drilled an angled shot past the far post.

Coventry, in essence matching their hosts’ 4-5-1 formation, were struggling to build any attacking momentum against a combative Dale back four and it took them 26 minutes to log an on-target attempt, Tudgay’s header from Morris’s deep cross an easy catch for Lillis.

But they gradually began to win a bigger share of possession, Lameiras leading the way with some sinuous runs down the middle, and after O’Brien and Lameiras had seen 20-yarders charged down at source, skipper Ricketts tried his luck with a low free-kick that bypassed the wall but was safely gathered by Lillis.

The game was taking on an end-to-end pattern as the interval approached – Charles-Cook showing his potential with a brilliant save as McDermott’s deflected shot took a big diversion towards the top corner before Lameiras saw his fierce volley deflected past the post.

But it was the home side who claimed the lead as the half ticked into overtime, a quick break down the right seeing McDermott cut inside to clip a perfectly-flighted left-footer over Charles-Cook and into the far top corner.

Dale sent on bustling front-man Calvin Andrew for the second half and he quickly made his presence felt. But the Sky Blues were a whisker away from equalising when Fleck linked with O’Brien and Stokes to create the space for a right-foot shot that curled narrowly wide.

Mowbray pitched on Maddison in the 50th minute as he looked for a way to play their way through a Dale side who were certainly far more direct than the Wigan side outwitted by the Sky Blues at the weekend and forced Ricketts to employ all his experience when the muscular Andrew pounded after a route-one hoof.

Young striker George Thomas went on for the last 25 minutes but it was Maddison, brilliantly picking his way through a packed area, who forced Lillis into a sharp save.

And five minutes from time the two substitutes combined to conjure up Coventry’s equaliser. A training-ground corner routine broke down but Maddison picked up the loose ball and dribbled through to feed Thomas on the left for a low cross that Tudgay converted with a splendidly improvised flick.

Tudgay thought he had won it in the final minute as he met Fleck’s deep cross with a searing volley only for the linesman’s flag to choke off the City fans’ cheers.

The Sky Blues continued to look the likelier side in extra-time, the inevitable fall-off in pace better suiting their style, but Charles-Cook needed two attempts to save Allen’s close-ranged header when the home side counter-attacked.