Tomorrow the Sky Blues are at Wembley for what is only the club's second FA Cup semi final in 141 years when they face Premier League Manchester United. I thought it appropriate to remember City's previous semi final, against Leeds United at Hillsborough in 1987.
City were returning to Hillsborough only four weeks after their epic quarter-final win over Sheffield Wednesday, and more than 27,000 City supporters made the journey to see the Sunday lunchtime confrontation with Leeds.
Ground conditions were good on a bright, cool spring day, the pitch having been heavily watered. City were favourites to win the tie against Billy Bremner’s Second Division side, but in contrast to their cool confidence against Wednesday, they appeared nervous against Leeds who enjoyed most of the opening exchanges. Steve Ogrizovic had already made one excellent save from John Pearson before United took the lead in the fourteenth minute with a great header from David Rennie.
The Sky Blues at last started to rouse themselves and Regis missed three good chances. Indeed, it was one of those games where he did everything right until he got near goal.
First of all he took the ball out to the right, overpowering Jackie Ashurst on the way before firing wide of the near post; then he shot over from a Dave Bennett cross- and finally he failed to make contact with a Phillips cross. The half ended with City on top but still a goal down.
City continued to press in the second half, leaving themselves vulnerable to a Leeds counter-punch. On the hour, Coventry brought on Michael Gynn for the limping Nick Pickering, and this seemed to give them an extra dimension. City pressed hard and just as Leeds seemed to have quelled the storm, the equaliser came.
Bennett pressurised Brendan Ormsby into an error on his own by-line and crossed. Lloyd McGrath missed his kick, but Gynn, lurking on the left-hand edge of the penalty area, shot home just inside the near post.
City were now well on top and Leeds were gradually worn down. It was no surprise, then, when City took the lead ten minutes later. Houchen, already the cup hero, gathered a ricochet off Ormsby, calmly side-stepped Mervyn Day in the Leeds goal and slotted home.
Leeds brought on Keith Edwards and Peter Haddock and the substitutions paid off. Seven minutes from time the Coventry defence got into a tangle. Andy Ritchie was allowed to cross the ball and Edwards was on hand to plant it into the far corner of the net.
Leeds looked to have the wind in their sails at the start of extra-time but it was City who scored the vital third goal after eight minutes. Bennett was fouled on the right, Gynn floated the ball across, Regis won it in the air at the far post, Houchen shot against Day and Bennett was there to tap in.
With only three minutes left City’s hearts were in their mouths when Neil Aspin hoofed the ball down the middle and Edwards raced clear, but Oggy positioned himself well and deflected the ball to safety.
There were no more scares for City. The final whistle brought an end to a truly extraordinary match and Coventry had reached Wembley for the first time in 104 years.
David Miller in The Times rated the game as one of the best the competition had seen for the last 20 years, a match of rare drama and excitement. It was all those things and more.
Teams:
City: Ogrizovic: Borrows, Downs, McGrath, Kilcline, Peake, Bennett, Phillips, Regis, Houchen, Pickering (Gynn 61). unused sub: Sedgley.
Leeds: Day: Aspin, Adams, Stiles (Haddock 82), Ashurst, Ormsby, Ritchie, Sheridan, Pearson (Edwards 82), Baird, Rennie.
Att: 51,372
Referee: R Milford.
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