Coventry City bounced back from the disappointing defeat at Stoke on the opening day of the season by winning 1-0 at Bristol City in the League Cup First Round tie on Tuesday evening. It was the perfect riposte to the Stoke defeat with a much better defensive performance and an inspiring five-man substitution just after the hour mark. Within two minutes Ellis Simms, on for Haji Wright, slotted home from Kasey Palmer's clever pass. After that City looked the better side for the first time in the match and saw out the game with few tense moments.
The victory ended the dreadful run in the competition which has seen City fail to reach the second round in the past three seasons being knocked out by Northampton (2021), Bristol City (2022) and AFC Wimbledon (2023). The poor form in the competition goes a lot further back with only seven wins in 24 matches since the famous win at Old Trafford in 2007 and they have failed to clear the first hurdle in 11 of the last 15 seasons. Many City fans will have forgotten the embarrassing losses against Hartlepool (2009), Morecambe (2010), Bury (2011) and Rochdale (2015) not to mention Hereford (2006) and Tranmere, when the club were in the Premiership in 1999. In the 34 years since reaching the semi final (and losing to Nottingham Forest) in 1990 the Sky Blues have reached the last eight once (in 1991) and the last sixteen on just five occasions. The League Cup may not have the kudos it once had but it still has a Wembley final and if City were to have home ties in the last sixteen or beyond then a large attendance would be guaranteed.
At Ashton Gate manager Mark Robins brought all five allowable subs on simultaneously – a first. The use of five subs was introduced in 2020-21 (the Covid season) but the following season it was back to three subs except for FA Cup ties which remained at five. Since 2020 City have used all five subs on 35 occasions and this was the first occasion that all five entered the field at the same time. The club record is four in a home defeat to Burnley in 2022-23 when messrs Doyle, McFadzean, Walker and Palmer were replaced by Eccles, Rose, Godden and Tavares.
If you enjoy this column and would like to hear more about Coventry City's history you can listen to the Sky Blue History Podcast which is available on Spotify and YouTube. Claudio Cardellino and I talk about all things Sky Blue. The latest podcast features the history of Highfield Road and can be found here:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6tQLAR8PJdHXVvgJncnHRh?si=CNLx_igCQuyctEC3D-C2ug
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoMVwjLuo4Q
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