Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Coventry 1 Boro 1
Having struggled away at non-league Nuneaton in the last round of the FA Cup this fourth round tie against Championship midfielders Coventry looked less like a banana-skin and more like a serious concern for any kind of result. Sure enough it was pretty 50 / 50 in the first half with either team having chances to score but not converting. Certainly they did not look overwhelmed by a supposed gap in class, in fact they seemed to relish the thought of taking an easy premiership scalp from a club way out of form.After the break Boro managed to capitalise on their lack of concentration coming back on to nab a swift opener thanks to Jimmy Floyd, whose current form is amongst the best at the club. It looked like a perfect platform to go on and finish the tie, but rather than take control it was the reds who started to look tired legged and dispirited towards the last 20 minutes. A superb strike from Coventry past a returning Mark Schwarzer - a man with a lot to prove to this club! - leveled the game and from there in it was the midland outfit who looked like the winners as they proceeded to take us apart in the closing minutes of the game. We needed to hang on and hang on we did: just! At least we have the chance to bring them back to the Riverside, with the impending reward of a fifth round tie against more non premiership opposition (Preston or Crystal Palace), albeit away from home once again.
With Sunderland coming up - the biggest must win game of the season so far for me - the last thing we need is the prospect of more replays, but at least we are still in the draw and that's the main thing. Not much to cheer about still, but at least we didn't continue our losing run.
My MOTM: Jimmy Floyd continues in fighting form and gets the vote.
