City's boss pleased to be one game away from a Wembley final, but has stressed that league points are now the aim...
The Sky Blues triumph at the Liberty Stadium with a dramatic 4-2 penalty shootout win, after a 1-1 draw in normal time.
Ruben Lameiras scored the winning spot-kick for the away side, but it was Reice Charles-Cook who stole the headlines with two penalty saves.
The manager was pleased to have booked a place in the EFL Trophy’s last four, but remained focussed on the mammoth league task ahead - as the Sky Blues are seven points adrift at the foot of the table, with 19 games to play.
Russell Slade said: “The striker McBurnie is sought after up top, it was a tough game really. We didn’t have too much firepower up top but we stayed in the game. In the end, we deservedly got the equaliser.
“We kept growing, kept pushing forward and it became a bit more of a cup tie in the second half. We forced them in to mistakes but weren’t progressive enough with the ball, weren’t productive on the turnover.
“I was actually disappointed that we didn’t capitalise on the pressure we put them under, in terms of working their goalkeeper.
“We’re 90 minutes away from a big occasion. But for now it is in a box and we need to concentrate on our league situation. Tonight helps, but we desperately need league points.”
Captain Jordan Willis clawed the Sky Blues back in to the game late on, after City went behind to an Oliver McBurnie goal, and the manager confirmed the shootout was particularly tense to watch on the sidelines.
He added: “Penalties aren’t enjoyable for me, but they took their penalties smartly. And Cooky has made two great saves. It has been a while since we’ve been behind in a game and come back to win it.
“We’re in to the last four and a game away from the big stadium. You can’t replicate a penalty in a big stadium, it was about doing their jobs and they did it well.
“We’ve got loads to come back in to the side, Stuart Beavon will hopefully train on Thursday, as well as Charles Vernam and Farrend Rawson.”