Nicky Eaden's side progress in the local competition with an away win against Alvechurch...
City’s Under-23s opened their Birmingham Senior Cup campaign with a routine victory against Alvechurch FC.
Dion Kelly-Evans and a Jordan Shipley brace was enough to secure victory and continue their recent run of good form - with four wins on the bounce.
In the opening stages, Shipley picked up the ball and fed it into the feet of Devon Kelly-Evans, who drove at the Alvechurch defence, beating two men before firing a long range effort towards goal that was saved well.
Moments later, in an almost identical move, City were ahead through Devon’s brother, Dion. Not to be outdone by his sibling, he turned fantastically in the middle of the pitch and hit a wonderful effort into the top corner to put City ahead.
The Sky Blues continued to come forward. Callum Maycock, showcasing persistence in the middle of the park for City, won the ball back in an advanced position and fed it to Bilal Siyoud. The midfielder displayed trickery and quick feet to find a yard of space but curled an effort just wide of the far post.
City soon doubled their lead through another long-range strike. A Ryan Haynes free-kick was cleared only as far as Shipley, and via a deflection, the midfielder fired it into the bottom corner from 20 yards out.
The pacey and agile forward line for City was causing numerous problems for Alvechurch, with Kyle Spence the latest to drive through the middle, ghosting past two men, but firing well over.
Alvechurch’s first sight at goal came from a set piece. A corner was whipped into the back post, but under pressure from Cian Harries, their number nine headed just over.
The home side began to have a little more of the game and the lively number 10 forced a good save from Corey Addai. He received the ball on the edge of the box and found space before hitting a low effort into the arms of the City ‘keeper.
City could have increased their advantage further through Sayoud. Addai’s throw to Spence triggered a City counter-attack, he ran at the Alvechurch defence before slipping in Sayoud, but the ‘keeper stayed big to deny a third City goal.
The Sky Blues seemingly put the game out of sight just before the hour mark. Shipley started and finished the move, as his long diagonal ball found Dev. Kelly-Evans, who returned it to the marauding midfielder. He took one touch before hitting it hard and low into the bottom corner for his second of the match.
Alvechurch responded well and soon had a route back into the game. A long ball over the top found their number nine, who after taking the ball past the defender finished well from a tight angle to reduce the deficit.
Teams
Coventry City: Addai (GK), Whitmore, Harries, Finch, Haynes, Sayoud, Di. Kelly Evans (Finn 65'), Maycock, Shipley, Spence, Dev. Kelly-Evans (C) (Smith 65').
Subs: Hickman, Thompson.