The Sky Blues progressed into the second round of the FA Youth Cup with a convincing 3-1 win at the Bescot Stadium...
Coventry City secured a second-round berth in the FA Youth Cup as the Sky Blues recorded a comfortable victory over the Saddlers.
Bassala Sambou was the hero with an impressive four goals against the Saddlers, including a first-half hat-trick, as City sailed into the next round of the Youth Cup.
Jason Farndon went with his strongest possible side in the first round of the FA Youth Cup with striker Sambou starting after his four goals against Birmingham City at the weekend.
It was the home side who started the game strongly as Nathan Owen's powerful effort was deflected over in the second minute and Rory Oliver forced a good save out of Corey Addai six minutes later.
City found their feet soon though and began to wield a dominating influence on the occasion. Jordan Shipley's shot was well blocked in the 15th minute before, from a right-sided corner, Reece Ford was hacked in the area and Bassala Sambou tucked home the resulting penalty three minutes later.
The Sky Blues began to turn their dominance into goals and with the combination of Darragh Leahy and Reece Ford keeping it tight at the back, City poured forward.
Sambou notched his second of the game when Shipley found his run with a pin-point through-ball and the City striker found the top corner on the half-hour.
He claimed his hat-trick just seven minutes later. Once again, Shipley had a part to play as it was his powerful effort which was parried into the path of Sambou who did well to tuck home from six yards out.
Sambou could have made it four before the break as he headed against the bar and Dan Smith was offside for the rebound as the Sky Blues experienced a comfortable first-half.
City were understandably slow out of the blocks in the second-half and the home side found a way back into the game when Tobias Hayles-Docherty finished a right-sided cross in the 59th minute.
The Saddlers began to chase the game with the busy Maziar Kouhyar testing Corey Addai ten minutes after the break as they looked to close the scoreline.
The Sky Blues were mainly operating on the break in the second-half as Kyle Finn's low effort from a quick City break was saved by the keeper and a Shipley low long-range effort went wide with 20 minutes remaining.
Walsall chased the game and almost added to their goal-tally when the lively substitute Kyle King raced through on goal but Addai did well to save with his feet in the 78th minute.
Shipley had another long range saved with six minute remaining before Sambou notched his second four-goal haul in two games when he tucked home from close range in the 85th minute.
It was the last action of the game to round off an impressive night for the Sky Blues, and striker Sambou.
Team
Coventry City: Addai (GK), Whitmore, Hickman, Maycock, Leahy (c), Ford, Albini (Finn 46), Bayliss (Mantsounga 57), Sambou, Shipley, Smith (Camwell 75).
Subs not used: Skuza (GK), Thompson.
Walsall: Jezeph (GK), Tonks, Cockerill-Mollett, Sangha (C), Vann, Roberts, Oliver, Owen, Peters (King 63), Kouhyar, Hayles-Docherty (Cela 76).
Subs not used: Caswell, Smith, Smith.
Att: 201
Yellow Card: Whitmore (67)