PREVIEW: Coventry City v Exeter City - The Sky Blues battle the Grecians for Promotion at Wembley

City head to Wembley...

27 May 2018

Venue: Wembley Stadium

Competition: SkyBet League Two Play-Off Final

Date: Saturday, 28th May 2018

Kick-off: 3pm (Live on SkySports Football)

The Sky Blues face Exeter City at Wembley Stadium as the two sides compete for promotion to SkyBet League One.

The Grecians secured their place at Wembley with a slender victory over initial play-off favourites Lincoln City ten days ago, while the Mark Robins' side blew Notts County away with a stunning 5-2 aggregate victory.

Exeter boss, Paul Tisdale looks set to take charge of his side for the final time after an incredible twelve years at the helm and he will be without winger Lee Holmes (ankle) who remains on the sideline.

Robins has no fresh injury concerns for the final. He will be without Tom Davies (suspension), Jodi Jones (ACL), Tony Andreu (ACL) and Peter Vincenti.

THE OPPONENTS

Sky Blues fans will remember Exeter striker Robbie Simpson from his time at the Ricoh Arena. The 32-year-old scored four goals in 62 games for City after joining from Cambridge United where he managed an impressive 17 goals in his first 33 games in professional football.

Lloyd James is a key player in Tisdale's side. The former Southampton man made 41 appearances in the Championship as a 21-year-old before going on to make over 100 starts for Leyton Orient.

Exeter fans will be hoping Jayden Stockley stays with them for next season. The 24-year-old has scored 19 goals this season for the Grecians since joining from Aberdeen in the summer.

MANAGER QUOTES

Robins: "It does all come down to this, it is as simple as that, but it is exciting isn't it?"

Tisdale: "We face a very difficult opponent in Coventry. You can see that in how they played in their second leg against Notts County. Yes, we played well but they did too."

Robins: "The big thing for me is that we have managed to give ourselves a really good chance to get promoted. We are playing against a good opponent with a really experienced manager, who could well be heading into his last ever game with the club."

Tisdale: "That is what it will boil down to. It is a lot of preparation, a lot of thinking, a lot of strategy but then getting to a point with the players of ‘just play’ and asking them to play their best. That is what we want to get the team to do, play their best."

Robins: "The supporters are coming out in big numbers again to support us and we want to respond. It is a very special occasion when you get to play at Wembley during your career and they should not take it for granted."

LAST TIME WE MET

The Sky Blues were been beaten 1-0 by Exeter City at St James Park thanks to Ryan Harley's first-half strike.

The Grecians took the lead within the first seven minutes after a mistake from Lee Burge presented Harley with the chance to curl the ball in from outside the area.

Jordan Ponticelli came close in stoppage time to salvaging City a point but saw his effort pushed onto the woodwork.

The result meant that Mark Robins' side fell from third to eighth in SkyBet League Two after 27 games of their season

THE SKY BLUES AT WEMBLEY

W - 3-2 v Tottenham Hotspur - 1987 FA Cup Final
L - 0-1 v Everton - 1987 FA Charity Shield
W - 2-1 v Oxford United - 2017 Checkatrade Trophy Final

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REPORT: Coventry City 3-1 Exeter City - The Sky Blues are promoted back to SkyBet League One

Coventry City are the 2017-18 SkyBet League Two Play-Off Final Champions...

28 May 2018

The Sky Blues have been promoted back to SkyBet League One after a stunning 3-1 win over Exeter at Wembley.

Willis gave the Sky Blues the lead just after the break with a stunning right-footed curler from 25-yards.

Minutes later Shipley doubled City's lead thanks to the help of a deflection, before Jack Grimmer picked-out the top corner to seal the win.

The victory means Mark Robins' side have been promoted back the SkyBet League One at the first time of asking.

The opening five minutes were as cagey as expected. Marc McNulty's long-range effort send goalwards after a neat Max Biamou knock-down was the pick of the early action but that sailed high over the bar.

A poignant moment followed as the Sky Blue Army, along with the Exeter City supporters, stood as one to applaud on the ninth minute in memory of the late, great, Cyrille Regis before singing the City legend's name.

On the field, Mark Robins' side were having all the chances - First, Michael Doyle's precision ball off the top set McNulty away in the area, but the 25-year-old would have wished for a little less height on the ball from his captain as he struggled to take the pass into his stride and was tackled.

Next, it was McNulty again, who after a stunning 40-pass move played a delightful one-two on the edge of the area before seeing his curling effort saves.

Jordan Shipley cemented his place as a first-team regular this season and has his first sight of goal after 20 minutes but he too was forced to watch his deflected effort sail agonisingly wide.

City came out into the Wembley sunshine after the interval just as strong as they started the afternoon, and took the lead through Coventry born Willis. The defender, up for a corner, hang around for just about long enough on the edge of the area to turn his man and curl a beauty into the far corner. It was a stunner and Wembley erupted with blue.

If you thought the roar for the first would be impossible to top them you would be proven wrong moments later. McNulty raced into the Exeter half before finding Shipley in space who fired over Pym and into the far corner. Just like last year, it was our own academy graduates firing the Sky Blues to silverware.

Robins' boys were running riot. Next it was Liam Kelly's turn. The midfielder charge upfield and skipped his challenge but his low strike skimmed wide.

With twenty minutes to go City sealed it. Grimmer only scores in big games and made sure today was no exception when he found the far corner with his left foot from the corner of the area. It was turning out to be a Sky Blue day in North London.

Despite the domination it wasn't an easy afternoon for Lee Burge who pulled off a stunning save from Jordan Tillson to protect City's lead diving down to his left.

Tom Bayliss made it four at Meadow Lane last week and came close to making it four at Wembley. The teenager twisted and turned his way into the area before forcing a stellar reflex save from Pym.

Exeter did pull one back in the final second through Kyle Edwards but it would only be a consolation.

The Sky Blues are promoted back to League One. Play Up Sky Blues!

Goals: Willis (48'), Shipley (55'), Grimmer (68').

Attendance: 50,196.

Coventry XI: Burge (GK); Grimmer, Hyam, Willis, Stokes; Bayliss, Doyle (C), Kelly, Shipley (Reid); Biamou (Clarke-Harris), McNulty (Ponticelli).

Subs: O'Brien (GK), McDonald, Thompson, Maguire-Drew, Ponticelli.

Exeter City XI: Pym (GK); Sweeney, Woodman (James), Tilson, Harley, Stockley, Moore-Taylor (C), Moxey (Jay), Taylor, Storey, Boateng (Edwards).

Subs: Jones (GK), Archibald-Henville, Simpson, Wilson.

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