FA Cup - Coventry dump out Blackburn

Eurosport - Wed, 25 Feb 09:03:00 2009

Blackburn Rovers were dumped out of the FA Cup at the Ricoh Arena after Leon Best's header just before the hour mark saw Coventry City book a date with Chelsea in the quarter-finals.

FOOTBALL 2008-09 FA Cup Coventry-Blackburn Sam Allardyce Chris Coleman - 0

Sam Allardyce had started the game with eleven changes from the side that had battled bravely at Old Trafford last weekend while Coventry deployed strike partnership Leon Best and Clinton Morrison.

Rovers were guilty of some lapse defending on occasions and though the defence cut out Aron Gunnarsson's initial cross on 57 minutes, his follow up caught centre-backs Kizanishvili and Chris Samba out of position. With both Morrison and Best lurking, it was the Republic of Ireland U21 international who headed past Jason Brown for a precious lead goal.

The breakthrough rattled Rovers and they never really recovered until Chris Samba saw his header in injury time fly agonisingly wide of the post. City held out for an historic last-eight berth.

It was the Premier League side who enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges and within 60 seconds Carlos Villanueva tested the home keeper, cutting in from the right wing, but his effort was well held by Kieron Westwood.

While scoring chances were at a premium, Tugay had a volley blocked down early on while danger man Benni McCarthy seemed frustrated with some of the close attention he was receiving from the City defenders.

As the half wore on, Chris Coleman's Championship outfit began to gain a foothold in the game with Morrison and Best linking up and causing problems.

On 19 minutes City had their first chance when Morrison forced a corner. Daniel Fox's cross was met by the unmarked Elliot Ward but the centre-back's effort was aimed down and wide of the upright.

The game opened up in the final fifteen minutes of the half. Tugay volleyed over for Rovers before team-mate Jason Roberts also tried his luck but failed to hit the target.

The home crowd were on their feet on 34 minutes when Clinton Morrison turned sharply in the box but his effort crashed into the side-netting.

In a free-flowing end to the half it was Sam Allardyce's Rovers who went close once more. Midfielder Keith Treacy drilled at Westwood but the home keeper took it in his midriff and the game remained deadlocked at the break.

City took it to their Premier League visitors after the break and they finally caught Rovers cold when Best headed home before the hour. Sam Allardyce immediately ordered Roque Santa Cruz to ready himself for action

Despite three substitutions in the final period, Rovers threatened little until six minutes before time when Santa Cruz's header was well-saved by Westwood.

Clinton Morrison almost compounded Blackburn's misery a minute before time when he latched onto Best's pass but Jason Brown made a brave save.

In the dying throes of time added on, Samba thought he had rescued Rovers when he rose to meet a long ball but his header flashed wide of the post to the delight of the majority in the crowd of almost 23,000.

Rovers received little love from their hosts at the Ricoh Stadium, but Chris Coleman's Coventry City are now imagining a date at Wembley to prove the romance of the cup may not be dead just yet.

James Carew / Eurosport

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  1. What Newcastle failed to give Sam that they should­ have, was complete control over the whoel football­ club. What Rovers are doing is what the Wanderers did.­ Sam build everything at the club from the bottom up. We­ had no youth set up, he introduced one. Sam is a big­ beliver in scientific approach, gleaned from his days­ in the US. He was the first Manager in England to use­ Pro-Zone (now every club uses is in the top two­ divisions) , he was the first manager to introduce­ sports science into player recovery and dietry­ requirements.....Say what you want about him, but the­ guy gets success if allowed to run a football club.­ Newcastle, like City, are a joke of a football club who­ actually believe their own hype and think they are­ bigger than they are. NEWS Flash, you're not and­ hence that's why you let others run your club and­ take over......you'll never be the big 4 or win the­ league. Fact! Do you actually think Hughes would waste­ £100million on Kaka, course not. It's your owners­ wanting to cash in on his popularity and make a few­ ££££ / $$$$. Look forward to seeing your own version of­ the Titanic......

    From james.duckworth, on Thu 26 Feb 12:27AM

  2. Big Sam a joke? Are you having a laugh? Sam is one of­ the best Managers to come along. What he did with us­ was nothing short of a miracle. to attract the players­ of the class of Jay Ja Okocha, Youri Djorkaeff, Ivan­ Campo, El Hadji Diouf,Fernando Hierro, Anelka whilst­ nurturing youth talent like Kevin Nolan, Nicky Hunt,­ Jonathan Walters (now at Ipswich) and keep the­ Wanderers progressing on a shoe string budget is­ fantastic. He should have got the England job and­ sorry, isn't football about winning not passing­ prettily!!? The answer, Cameron is YES! As always, City­ provide us with a good laugh.......Last time you­ actually won anything apart from your own fantasy­ cup......The biggest club in your own little world!

    From james.duckworth, on Thu 26 Feb 12:21AM

  3. don't you think sam wanted us out as he made 11­ CHANGES

    From dianesellars, on Wed 25 Feb 11:06PM

  4. Well then Rovers fans, didn't i tell you so: Big­ Sham is NOT the man!
    You will rue the day your chairman­ ever appointed this astonishingly egotistical, arrogant­ and inept manager. Yes he had a few points in the bag­ at Newcastle United before he was sacked, but he had­ only played ONE game against the self-proclaimed­ 'big-4'; the points gleaned considering the­ calibre of opposition faced was truly abysmal, as was­ the style of football. The man is an out-and-out joke,­ and a crook to boot. . . . . . . . don't say you­ haven't been warned!

    From cameron w, on Wed 25 Feb 7:44PM

  5. na matter what he do ,he try his best. on the we­ &&**bsi te ~~Ric %$% hcu pids ~~ which is a­ free dating web, most friends on it like him

    From katy19830, on Wed 25 Feb 9:50AM

  6. we beat you last year, we got robbed at you place the­ other week and we beat you AGAIN tonight, so who`s­ laughing now lenka669, see you next year for more of­ the same after you get relegated !!

    From christopher m, on Wed 25 Feb 8:56AM

  7. Sam had more points at Newcastle when he was fired­ after 21 games that O'Neill had at Villa after 21­ games in charge!

    From dean557, on Wed 25 Feb 8:37AM

  8. mcpluker ur a t1t and city are and always will be a­ laughing stock. won f##k all.

    From lenka669, on Wed 25 Feb 8:27AM

  9. Way to go Sky Blues, bring on Chelsea

    From tastybits, on Wed 25 Feb 8:15AM

  10. THANK YOU BIG SAM YOU WILL GET THERE IN THE END NOW­ YOU ARE OUT OF THE F.A. CUP AND TRYIN TO MAKE A WEDGE­ ON MAN CITY £40 MILL FOR SANTA CRUZ IN JAN WINDOW LOL­ HE IS BASHING ON THE DOOR @ MAN CITY NOW POSS A­ REALISTIC £12 MILL BID U SHOULD @#$% N HOLD YOUR HEAD­ HIGH @ THE END OF THE SEASON FACE IT NEWCASTLE NOW­ ROVERS TELLS A STORY ON YOUR SUCCSESS .. GERRA JOB ON­ SKY JUST TALKIN BULL@#$% TIME IS OVER THE BOOK CLOSES­ ITS FINAL CHAPTER MAKE IT A HAPPY ENDING FOR THERE­ SUPPORTERS ,,,,,,C.T.I.D.

    From mcpluker, on Wed 25 Feb 7:25AM

  11. Play up sky blues!

    From Rob, on Wed 25 Feb 6:48AM
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