The Sky Blues were excellent for large periods and now are set to face Bournemouth in the third round of the FA Youth Cup...
Coventry City Under-18's came from behind to progress to the third-round of the FA Youth Cup with a 4-3 victory over Rochdale at Spotland.
The Sky Blues found themselves 1-0 down early on but showed excellent character, as a goal from George Thomas, a brace from James Maddison and a fourth from Kyle Spence secured City's passage to the next round.
The hosts took the lead when William Hasler-Craig diverted a cross past Jake Richards from eight-yards.
The young Sky Blues didn't let their heads drop though and dominated the play. The equaliser came on 36 minutes, when Maddison's curling free-kick from the edge of the box was parried by Jonathan Diba Musangu and Thomas tapped in from six-yards.
City went into the break level and came out at the start of the second-half with conviction, as Maddison fired the young Sky Blues into the lead just a minute after the interval. The skipper skipped past two challenges to fire a low shot into the bottom left-hand corner from just inside the area.
City had the third just five minutes later when a lovely move resulted in Maddison being chopped down by Musangu eight-yards out and the referee had no hesitation to point to the spot.
Maddison stepped up and sent the 'keeper the wrong way with a low strike into the bottom corner.
The fourth came on 61 minutes and was a real reward for City's hard-work, as Devon Kelly-Evans' cross from the right was diverted into the bottom corner by Spence from seven-yards out.
Rochdale were back in the game on 65 minutes when James Hooper's lofted effort from just inside the box looped into the far corner. Maddison was then booked for obstructing a free-kick before the hosts had the third to create a nervy finish when substitute Harry Pratt tapped in from close range.
But that was the last action as the Sky Blues deservedly progressed and as a result, they will now face a trip to the Goldsands Stadium to play Bournemouth in the third round.
Teams
Coventry City: Richards (GK), Di. Kelly-Evans, Barnett, Harries, Whitmore, Spence, Maddison, Stevenson, Dev. Kelly-Evans, Shipley (Albini 80), Thomas.
Subs: Addai (GK), Bromley, Maycock, Smith.
Rochdale: Diba-Musangu (GK), Akinwale-Samuels, Schorah, Cowan-Thompson, Sinclair Kisimba, Hasler-Cregg (C), Berry, Bell, Reid (Pratt 76), Hopper.
Subs: Smalley, Hollins, Lovett, Stewart.
Yellow Card(s): Maddison, Di Kelly-Evans.