Ten-man Coventry clinched a place in the last 16 of the FA Cup for the third
successive season in a passionate Midlands derby clash with Leicester.
Noel Whelan's brilliant first-half goal and injury-time efforts from Paul
Telfer and Steve Froggatt brought the Sky Blues some welcome joy away from their
Premiership relegation battle.
But they had to survive a missed penalty by Leicester defender Matt Elliott
and the sending off of midfielder George Boateng before clinching their place in
the fifth round.
Boateng had been given his marching orders a minute before the interval for
the second of two bookable offences before Elliott squandered his penalty
chance.
Leicester predictably dominated the second 45 minutes in front of a fervent
Filbert Street crowd, and threw Elliott into attack in an attempt to salvage the
game.
But they found Coventry keeper Magnus Hedman in inspired form with several
fine saves and, with the aid of some desperate defending, Gordon Strachan's side
survived before the late, late show from Telfer and Froggatt.
Now Leicester have to pick themselves up for Tuesday's Worthington Cup
semi-final clash at First Division leaders Sunderland. For all their territorial
dominance they struggled to create clear-cut chances despite the threat from the
left flank of Steve Guppy.
Muzzy Izzet also looked dangerous as a makeshift striker in place of the
injured Tony Cottee although he was guilty of two glaring first-half misses.
Hedman was the first to be tested when he turned a swerving shot from Andrew
Impey around the post.
But it was the Sky Blues who broke the deadlock in the 16th minute with
Whelan's delightfully executed goal.
Impey lost possession to Froggatt and the ball was eventually threaded by
Trond Soltvedt into the path of Whelan.
The former Leeds player went past the challenge of Frank Sinclair and his
perfectly-timed chip left Leicester keeper Kasey Keller stranded as it flew into
the far corner of the net.
Leicester tried to retaliate and Izzet twice squandered golden chances to put
his side back on level terms.
Hedman deserves some credit for blocking his first effort from close range
after a mistake by Richard Shaw following a low centre from fit-again Emile
Heskey.
But the Swede should have been given no chance when the unmarked Izzet
headed a Guppy cross wide.
Heskey then fired over when reaching at full stretch for a cross from Sinclair
before the first half reached a dramatic finale.
Boateng was initially booked for preventing Leicester from taking a quick
throw and then red-carded after chopping down Theo Zagorakis on the edge of the
area.
Then the home side were awarded a penalty when Paul Williams hacked down
Heskey, Elliott drilling his spot-kick wide.
Coventry left only Huckerby up front after the interval as the home side
exerted heavy pressure in trying to make their numerical advantage count.
But Leicester struggled to create any worthwhile openings although Hedman had
to react sharply to turn over a dipping 25-yard effort from Heskey.
Coventry should have wrapped the game up in the 7lst minute but Froggatt was
guilty of an astonishing miss.
McAllister found Whelan in acres of space and he had time to steady himself
before sending in a shot which deflected off Sinclair across the face of the
goal. Froggatt had the goal at his mercy but from inside the six-yard box
scooped his shot over the bar.
In injury-time Telfer made sure of victory. Coventry survived an almighty
scramble in their six-yard box but then Telfer raced clear and drilled a rising
shot wide of Keller.
That killed off the contest and Froggatt rubbed salt into Leicester's wounds
when he turned home a cross from Whelan.
Teams:
Leicester: Keller, Ullathorne (Taggart 75), Walsh, Elliott,
Sinclair, Impey, Zagorakis (Parker 61), Izzet, Lennon, Guppy,
Heskey.
Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Kaamark, Wilson.
Booked: Izzet, Sinclair.
Coventry: Hedman, Edworthy, Shaw, Williams, Burrows, Soltvedt,
Boateng, McAllister (Clement 77), Froggatt, Huckerby (Telfer 85),
Whelan.
Subs Not Used: Ogrizovic, Breen, Aloisi.
Sent Off: Boateng (45).
Booked: Burrows, Williams, Edworthy, Boateng.
Goals: Whelan 16, Froggatt 90, Telfer 90.
Att: 21,207
Ref: A Wilkie (Chester-le-Street).
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