A disappointing evening for the young Sky Blues as they are defeated in Nottingham...
Jason Farndon’s Under-18 side exited the FA Youth Cup in the first round after an extra-time defeat against Dunkirk FC.
Jordan Ponticelli and Chris Camwell were on target for the Sky Blues, but a failure to take their chances came back to haunt the visitors as Dunkirk scored late on to grab the win.
It was a tight and competitive opening, with both sides feeling their way into proceedings. In the first chance of the game, Chris Camwell drove down the left-hand side before delivering a low cross into the box. Jordan Ponticelli got in front of his man and tried an audacious flick that came back off the crossbar.
Camwell was again the main source for the Sky Blues attacking intent. The full back put another low cross into the box, and this time it was Kyle Finn who was denied the opener thanks to a smart save.
Against the run of play, the home side took the lead. Milward delivered a cross from the left that evaded everyone and fell to Lang to score the opener from six-yards out.
The Sky Blues began the second half with more intent, and went close to an equaliser just before the hour mark. A lovely interchange of passing seen Finn release Smith through on goal, but from a tight angle he was denied by the Dunkirk ‘keeper.
City continued to throw men forward and a wonderful run from fullback Jak Hickman was nearly rewarded. The defender beat several men before smashing the ball across the box, but Finn could only fire it over as the chance went begging.
The Under-18s were beginning to slice open their opponents, only lacking the finishing touch to some well-worked team moves. Captain Tom Bayliss won the ball in an advanced position and drove forward, spotting on a run on his right, he weighted a lovely through ball into the path of Smith, but he failed to finish.
City finally had the goal their play had merited through Ponticelli. An overload down the left gave Finn space in the area to role it across to the striker to tap in for the easiest of finishes.
A frantic start to extra-time seen two goals and a red card inside the first ten minutes. Firstly, Chris Camwell scored from the penalty spot in which Dunkirk’s Oliver Robinson was shown a second yellow card, before the home side levelled immediately as Doyle put the ball into his own net.
Just as it looked to be heading to a penalty shootout, Dunkirk won it at the death. A failure to convert chances haunted the visitors as Pierce Bird scrambled in from a corner to win it for the home side.
Attendance: 300
Yellow: Eccles, Robinson, Howes.
Red: Robinson
Teams
Coventry City: Scuza (GK), Hickman, Ford, Thompson, Camwell, Eccles (Doyle 77'), Bayliss (C), Finn, Smith (Hendricks 72'), Ponticelli, Stedman (Green 105').
Subs: Naylor (GK), McMahon.
Dunkirk: R.Howes (GK), Robinson, J.Howes, Clark (C) (Waddingham 101'), Moore, Bird, Harrison (Mushambi 80'), Roberts (Towle 102'), Lang, Milward, Warner.
Subs: Aikman, Oldershaw.