Swansea City U21s 1 Coventry City 1

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The Sky Blues have qualified for the semi final of the Checkatrade Trophy after victory in South Wales



If ever a team should be concentrating on the league it’s surely Coventry City as they slide towards a historic relegation into the fourth tier.

But, equally, if ever a set of supporters deserved a slice of KO glory it has to be the Sky Blue Army who are now just one tantalising step away from a day our at Wembley. The 400-odd ultras who made the trek to South Wales were treated to a night of drama as Coventry came from behind to force a penalty shoot-out which saw Reice Charles-Cook pull off fine saves from Botti Biabi and George Byers before Ruben Lameiras settled it with a nerveless slot into the bottom corner.

The young Swans (Cygnets?) stuck to the style that has become the senior side’s signature in recent years, playing the ball to feet from the back and always looking to exploit space on the wings. The Sky Blues, too, tried to build constructively, Wales Under-19 striker George Thomas their principal threat with his enthusiastic darts down the middle.

One promising counter-attack fizzled out when he mistimed his pass to Reilly while an even better opening was cut short as referee Haywood blew for a Sky Blues free-kick in their own half instead of pausing momentarily to allow the advantage to unwind. Kyel Reid teed up a couple of far-post openings for Andy Rose – an ambitious volley that was 20-odd yards off target and a header that cleared the bar by a couple of feet.

The only genuine close call in the first 45 minutes saw Reilly’s angled 25-yarder finger-tipped round the post by 38-year-old keeper Gerhard Tremmel but the additional 120 seconds produced chances at both ends. Swansea – who had optimistic penalty appeals brushed aside when McBurnie and Byers tumbled in rapid succession, conjured up their first real chance when Haynes dived in to deflect McBurnie’s close-range effort for a corner.

And having survived that scare City broke upfield for Lameiras to get in a shot which was inadvertently charged down by team-mate Thomas. If the first half had veered towards the pedestrian, the second opened with a flourish as Blair slipped a through-ball to McBurnie but Charles-Cook stood his ground to block the low angled shot. But the game soon resumed its pattern of low-key probing, briefly enlivened when Reid at one end and McBurnie at the other volleyed wide after free-kicks had been half-cleared.

Haynes, booked in the first half for a foul on Alex Bray, had to time his tackle perfectly to deny the wide man a shooting chance but barely two minutes later the left-back pushed McBurnie as they challenged for Byers’s cross. It was the gentlest of touches which hardly merited the striker’s dying swan reaction but Mr Haywood was convinced and McBurnie picked himself up to drill the spot-kick low down the middle as Charles-Cook dived to his right.

Freshened up by Jones and Bigirimana, Coventry began to look sharper up front although Charles-Cook had to pull off an excellent stop when Lameiras tried to dribble his way out of his own area.Five minutes from time, however, a double slice of good fortune hauled the Sky Blues lucky. Jones won a foul against Rodon, having seemed to have shoved his marker in the first instance, and when Thomas curled the free-kick towards the six-yard line Maric, under pressure from Willis, seemed to get the final touch that diverted the ball past Tremmel.

So to penalties where George Thomas, Gael Bigirimana and Kyel Reid set the stage for Lameiras to clinch it. And, at this stage of proceedings, let’s have no talk about Micky Mouse competitions. The Sky Blues are desperately overdue a day in the sun and if they can make it to the arch nobody will be complaining.

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We must stay focused on league - Slade



Coventry City boss Russell Slade has urged his players to keep their focus on avoiding relegation, having reached the EFL Trophy semi-final.

The Sky Blues beat Swansea City Under-21s on penalties in the last eight after Tuesday's game ended 1-1.

Coventry are bottom of League One and seven points from safety.

"What we have got to do now is put this game in a box, put it on one side and concentrate on the league situation," Slade told BBC Coventry & Warwickshire.

Coventry goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook saved twice in the shoot-out at the Liberty Stadium after Jordan Willis headed a late equaliser, to leave City one victory from Wembley.

The semi-final draw takes place at 11:30 GMT on Thursday.

"The lads took really smart penalties and Cooky made great saves," Slade added. "It would be terrific to get a home semi-final. We are 90 minutes from a big occasion."

But former Cardiff manager Slade said his side, who are without a win in 11 league matches, now needed to focus on Saturday when they travel to Sixfields to face struggling Northampton.

"We desperately need points but we do have players to come back in. That is a good thing," the 56-year-old added.

Slade expects striker Stuart Beavon to train on Thursday or Friday. Kevin Foley is also back in training and and not far away from a return to action, while new signings Charles Vernam and Farrend Rawson are ready to come into the side.