Harriers beaten by Sky Blues

Coventry City hitmen Leon McKenzie and Leon Best broke the Worcestershire battlers' resistance.

The Aggborough side were under the cosh from the start and they had to deal with 15 corners throughout the game, compared to Harriers' four.

"Coventry are a good side and we knew we would be up against it but I'm proud of my players," commented manager Mark Yates.

"We stuck to the game plan to frustrate them for almost an hour until they scored their first goal."

Yates stuck with the same side that got the better of Torquay United last week, while City were without seven first team regulars.

The biggest omission was Coventry keeper Keiren Westwood, who was not even on the bench.

Harriers were under pressure from the start and keeper Adam Bartlett tipped over a testing right wing cross in the opening minute.

The Blue Square Premier side was guilty of giving the ball away early on and Coventry tried to take advantage with a flurry of corners.

But with captain Mark Creighton in inspirational form, Harriers stood firm and came through the Sky Blue barrage.

Harriers' shot-stopper then made a comfortable save when he clutched onto McKenzie's header.

Bartlett kept Harriers on level terms when he dived to his left and got a hand to Best's goalbound shot.

City continued to pile the pressure on the visitors, who were being cheered on by a 3,000 strong travelling army.

Going forward, Harriers offered little in attack and the closest they came to threaten the home side was when Matthew Barnes-Homer held up the ball in the area but his pass to Justin Richards was blocked by Steven Wright.

Frustrated City were booed off the pitch by the home supporters, while Harriers took some confidence from the dogged first period.

The away team started the second period with more menace and after good work by Richards, Russ Penn fired in a 20-yard effort, which keeper Andy Marshall blocked with a flying save.

But City's corner count made the difference and from the home side's 11th one Harriers' resistance was broken.

Michael Doyle had been unable to beats Harriers' backline in the preview 10 attempts but this time he played the ball to the near post and McKenzie hooked the ball past a diving Bartlett.

Harriers tried to up the tempo and forced back the hosts and looked more threatening on the break.

Bartlett was alert to the danger when he got behind Ben Turner's goalbound header from a corner.

The impressive Penn looked more confident in the second half and he powered forward, before flashing a powerful shot off target.

In a bid to add some more pace and threat to his team, Yates replaced the defensive-minded Andy Ferrell with left winger Brian Smikle.

But the 24-year-old was caught out in the 82nd minute when he back-pedalled to try and keep up with the powerful Best.

The striker's low shot took a small deflection off his foot to beat Bartlett and leave Harriers 2-0 down.

The visitors battled hard to try and force a goal but despite late pressure they could not open up a well-drilled defence.

A chance fell to substitute Darryl Knights, who saw a weak low effort easily saved by Marshall.

Former Astwon Villa man Stefan Moore was brought on by Yates in the 87th minute and he was greated by a chorus of boos by the home fans.

Despite his inclusion, Harriers could not find a way through and their adventure in the cup came to an end.

Harriers: Bartlett 8; Baker 7; Ferrell 6 (Smikle, 57); CREIGHTON 9; Barnes-Homer 6; Penn 8; Richards 6; Brittain 6; Riley 7; Bennett 7; Lowe 7. Unused substitutes: Coleman; Jones; McDermott; Foley. Coventry City: Marshall; Wright; Hall; Doyle; Best; Eastwood; Gunnarsson; McKenzie (Fox, 69); Turner; Simpson (Morrison, 82); Wynter. Substitutes: Kinstantopolous; Thornton; Walker; Fraser; Cain. Referee: M Haywood. Attendance: 13,652 (3,006)

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