We take a look back at the head-to-head record between the Sky Blues and tonight's opponents Portsmouth.
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Head to Head:
Coventry are two wins ahead of Pompey in the head to head record with 15 victories to 13. There have been only six draws.
Coventry have won eleven and lost only three home meetings with Pompey, with two draws. There has yet to be a goalless draw between the clubs here, although there was a blank on the south coast in December 1987.
Last Time We Met:
The two sides last met on Easter Monday of this year, when City travelled to Fratton Park in front of the Sky Sports cameras.
The Sky Blues were attempting to break into the top six, whilst Pompey had automatic promotion in their sights with a few games to go.
It was City who took the lead following a dominant start and it was Jordy Hiwula who finished off a superb move created by Bright Enobakahre.
The Sky Blues almost doubled their lead through Luke Thomas, but his effort was stopped on the line with some last ditch defending.
Portsmouth did equalise however through Tom Naylor, when he was on the end of a cross into the box.
Thomas had a chance to put City back in front, but he couldn’t find the back of the net and it would be Brett Pitman who would find the net less than ten minutes from time to give Pompey all three points.
First Meeting:
Coventry and Portsmouth first met over a century ago, an FA Cup meeting on 5 February 1910. It was the day that Francisco Varallo was born.
He became an international with Argentina and when he passed away in 2010 he was the last surviving player from the first ever World Cup, held in 1930.
Back at Fratton Park in 1910, the World Cup was two decades away but the FA Cup was four decades old.
There had already been a tight goalless game between the clubs on the same pitch just over four months earlier in the first division of the Southern League.
City had beaten Wrexham, Kettering Town in qualifying rounds and first division Preston North End to reach this stage while Pompey had only had knocked out Shrewsbury Town in the previous round.
A goal from half-back Freddy Chaplin sealed the tie in front of 11,361. It was his first goal for the club. The only other one he ever scored came in the last of his 149 games as a Bantam.
This was Coventry’s best cup run to date. Another first division scalp was claimed in the third round against Nottingham Forest before Everton beat City 2-0 in the fourth round - which was then the quarter final.
Biggest Win:
1966 had been a great year for every English football supporter and for Coventry fans it ended on a high as Pompey were pummelled 5-1 on New Year’s Eve.
Those supporters had had four goals to celebrate against Rotherham on Boxing Day and 24,981 saw the goals shared around as Bobby Gould, John Tudor, Ernie Machin, John Key and former Leicestershire County cricketer John Mitten all netted in a season when City were en-route to a first ever promotion to the top flight.
Worst Defeat:
Just over four years before City’s 5-1 win over Pompey the boot was on the other foot as the same score-line was in the Fratton Park outfit’s favour in a League Cup.
Pompey were a division above Third Division City, but The Bantams came out on top in the FA Cup later in the same season in a fourth round tie eventually settled in a second replay at White Hart Lane. City also lost 4-0 at home to Portsmouth on 19 March 2003
Did You Know?
Former Sky Blues and Pompey captain, Michael Doyle has won promotion from League Two with both sides in back to back seasons.
With thanks to Rob Mason