Strikes from McSheffrey and Baker send Sky Blues through to the FA Cup third round
Coventry City earned a place in the FA Cup third round after strikes from Gary McSheffrey and Carl Baker brought an end to Morecambe's campaign.
McSheffrey converted from the spot with eight minutes of the first half to go after being brought down in the area by Shrimps 'keeper Barry Roche.
Carl Baker made it 2-0 just a minute after the break with a top-corner strike and City saw out the game despite Kevin Ellison netting a similar goal for the visitors after 76 minutes.
Boss Mark Robins rang three enforced changes to his side for the cup clash with the Shrimps with striker David McGoldrick and midfielder James Bailey ineligible and goalkeeper Joe Murphy sidelined with a shoulder problem.
Roy O'Donovan wasbrought into the side for his first start iof the season along with 'keeper Chris Dunn and midfielder Adam Barton.
Kick off was preceded by a minute's applause in respect of the passing of former City manager Dave Sexton but once proceedings start it was Dunn who was required after five minutes to keep out a low effort from Lewis Alessandra from just inside the Sky Blue' area.
It took City a few early moments to find their feet with a few misplaced passes preventing them from gaining any rhythm but they did carve out an opportunity on eight minutes when a square ball across the fringe of the area found Franck Moussa to fire just over the bar.
The scrappy midfield battle continued though and it was 23 minutes before the next effort on target was registered when Steven Jennings hit a low ambitious drive from 30 yards which Morecambe 'keeper Bary Roche saved comfortably.
Morecambe fans gasped four minutes later when a snatched volley from Stewart Drummond from near 30 yards took a deflection and looped into the air, Dunn scrambling back to his line as he watched the ball bounce just wide of the foot of his post.
City then had their best chance of the half on the counter-attack from the resulting corner when O'Donovan broke free down the left and played a through ball for Gary McSheffrey who poked just wide of the far post as Roche dashed off his line to try and cut out the pass.
The Sky Blues finally unpicked the lock of Morecambe's back line though with eight minutes of the half to after swift move which started from their own area and ended up with a penalty McSheffrey drew from 'keeper Roche.
Dunn confidently collected a corner delivery and was quick with his distribution out wide to Blair Adams.
The left back in turn switched it to Barton in midfield who, with his first touch found McSheffrey with a through ball, the striker being brought down in the area by the Morecambe 'keeper who earned a yellow crad for the challenge.
McSheffrey then stepped up to coolly slot home his penalty to give the Sky Blues the lead and calm a few nerves.
The goal seemed to galvanise City as Richard Wood headed just over the bar from a Carl Baker cross just three minutes later.
City carried their late first half momentum into the second half when Baker got on the scoresheet against his former club with a superb strike from 25 yards which left Roche with no chance.
Roche had better luck with City's next effort after 52 minutes when McSheffrey cut into the box from the left flank and fired at the near post only for Roche to parry it away.
Baker then very nearly recreated his earlier strike on a quick breakaway two minutes later, this time his effort sailing just over the bar.
The Sky Blues thought they were three up six minutes after the hour when Moussa picked up a ball on the edge of the Morecambe area and stumbled his way though the defence before stabbing an effort at goal from close range. Roche was equal to the initial effort but not the tap in from Wood with the loose ball although his celebrations were premature as the assistant referee flagged for offside.
There was no need for a flag after 76 minutes though when Morecambe grabbed a lifeline with a strike from Ellison that mirrored Baker's from earlier in the half.
Ellison skipped away from a challenge from Cyrus Christie before curling a short from 25 yards which looped over a helpless and Dunn and into the top corner.
The goal gave the visitors a renewed spirit as they pressed forward looking for an equaliser but the Sky Blues remained resolute, including through the four minutes of added time, to see themselves safely into the hat for the next round.
Attendance: 6,339 (610 away)
Teams
CoventryCity: Dunn, Wood, Edjenguele, Christie (Clarke 85), Adams, Moussa, Baker (c), Jennings, Barton, McSheffrey, O'Donovan
Subs: Burge (GK), Cameron, McDonald, Fleck, Ball, Lobjoit
Morecambe: Roche, Fenton, Threlfall (Haining 87), Wright, Alessandra, Ellison, McCready, Drummond, Fleming, McDonald (Reid 68), Redshaw (Parkinson 79)
Subs: Arestidou (GK), Haining, McGee, Parrish, Doyle
Bookings: Roche (MOR), O'Donovan (COV)
Referee: C Boyeson
AssistantReferees: N Greenhalgh, G Norwood
FourthOfficial: N Smith