Coventry City 1 - 2 Northampton Town

[dutchman]

[dutchman]

The Sky Blues were knocked out of the world's oldest cup competition at the hands of League Two opposition



Coventry City FC took charity to extremes as they suffered another first-round exit from the FA Cup.

Before the game Sky Blues fans were happy to toss coppers into the buckets being wielded by the Save The Cobblers chuggers ringing the Ricoh.

But the home supporters then watched their side donate gift the League Two club two early goals for the win which keeps them on course for potential riches in the later stages.

It perhaps doesn’t count as a giant-killing – certainly not on a par with last season’s Worcester humiliation – but although City are now free to concentrate on their promotion push the result will surely dent their confidence.

Depleted by injury, suspension and unavailable loan players, Tony Mowbray was forced into a last-minute change when goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook suffered an injury in the warm-up.

And the goalkeeper – red-carded during last season’s disastrous defeat against Worcester – was picking the ball out of his net inside five minutes as the Cobblers made the breakthrough with a freakish goal.

Adams drew a foul off Thomas down the left flank and curled in a free-kick which seemed to take a significant deflection off Diamond’s chest as it bounced through a crowded box and into the net.

The stunned Sky Blues had a decent penalty claim rejected as Fortune was sent tumbling by McDonald but they were level in the tenth minute as Murphy collected Fleck’s pass 25 yards out and picked his spot in the bottom left corner.

A minute later the Norwich flyer cut inside but this time shot straight at keeper Smith.

And it was Northampton who regained the lead with alarming ease as D’Ath slung over a right-wing cross and Richards arrived unchallenged at the far post to head home from five yards.

City survived a scare on the half-hour as Ricketts dived in to block D’Ath, Burge claiming Diamond’s header from the subsequent corner, but moments later Murphy was crowded out as he moved in on Diamond’s slip.

Murphy looked the man most likely to find gaps in the Cobblers defence, but the visitors stayed strong to protect their lead until half-time.

Ryan Haynes replaced Phillips at half-time, the substitute slotting in at left-back with Stokes swapping to the centre and Ricketts to the right.

And Mowbray moved to pep up his attack just before the hour when he sent on teenager Sambou, fresh from his four FA Youth Cup goals in midweek, for his first-team debut.

The youngster showed good skills to set up O’Brien for a charged-down shot and a flash of temperament when he angrily punched the ball away after being trapped yards offside.

Mowbray played his last card when he pitched on Lateef Elford-Alliyu for the final 20 minutes.

But although the home side were now dominating possession they could make no impression on the pink-shirted visitors, who almost settled it ten minutes from time when they broke away to force a corner and Burge had to save bravely at O’Toole’s feet.

Murphy fired into the side netting and O’Brien had a shot charged down and as the tie ticked into overtime Smith pulled off his first real save as he dived to deflect Murphy’s 25-yarder.