Coventry City conspired to throw away their EFL Cup first round lead at Wimbledon despite Matty Godden’s opener
Coventry City will spend Thursday morning wondering how on earth they weren’t in Wednesday night’s draw for the second round of the EFL Cup having been dumped out at the first hurdle by League Two AFC Wimbledon at Plough Lane – with the Dons’ two goals, which turned the match on its head, arriving in the final minutes of the evening.
City, leading into the 86th minute thanks to Matty Godden’s first half penalty, couldn’t have done much more besides offer more ruthlessness and a clinical edge in front of goal – they had 28 shots, 11 of them were on target and yet they failed to net in open play over the course of the event. Despite it never looking likely prior to Johnnie Jackson rolling the dice late on and introducing substitutes Omar Bugiel and Ryan McLean, both of those players found the net – McLean doing so deep into stoppage time.
Despite their overall dominance, City could’ve been behind in double quick time. The towering frame of Harry Pell wrestled his way past young Ryan Howley and his low cross eventually ran all the way to right winger James Tilley, who might’ve done better when scuffing a first-time shot wide of Brad Collins’ left post.
The Sky Blues immediately began to settle after that early wake up call. There were the first signs of a partnership burgeoning between strikers Matty Godden and Haji Wright when the pair combined and the former fed the latter in the penalty area, but Wright’s final effort was a pea roller into the arms of keeper Nik Tzanev. Godden himself nodded over a deep Jake Bidwell cross moments later.
The striker did mark the penning of his new contract earlier in the day, though, with the opening goal a little over a quarter of an hour into the evening’s action. Strike partner Wright was slipped in, inside the penalty area, and was duly sent flying. Godden claimed the ball and converted beyond the stretched arm of Tzanev.
In play, Wimbledon gave as good as they got but couldn’t match their superior visitors for the quality of chances created. Debutant Collins had a quiet first half indeed compared to his opposing number, who denied Godden netting a first-half hat-trick. In between there was some really encouraging passages of play from City, though – Wright’s final attempt after Hamer and Godden combined was wayward but the move leading up to the chance was slick indeed.
The Sky Blues continued to enjoy the lions’ share of the chances as the second half began. Liam Kelly’s brilliant lofted ball was brought down expertly by Wright, who was left in plenty of space, but his final effort – similarly to the one in the first half – left plenty to be desired. Moments later, Hamer’s final act of the night – before he was withdrawn – involved him whistling a shot past the post. Embraced by Robins, Hamer was serenaded by the away end as they instructed him to ‘sign the contract’.
Wimbledon, who saw Lee Brown sky a header at the back post, continued to give as good as they got and were encouraged while the score remained 1-0. Yet it was the Sky Blues who’d have been left scratching their heads that they hadn’t manage to beat the determined Tzanev more than once – and at all from open play.
Wright had a hatful of openings, of varying degrees of quality, throughout the course of the second half but was denied by defenders’ legs, or the goalkeeper, or his own sharpness in front of goal. Substitute Kasey Palmer tested Tzanev before the end, as did Ellis Simms before the end – guess who denied him with an incredible tip over the bar?
Maddeningly, the Dons did what any team who only trail by one goal are able to – get back into it, whether they deserved to or not. Substitutes Bugiel in the 86th minute and then McLean deep into stoppage time reversed the score-line and sent the visiting Sky Blues packing.
Coventry City player ratings
Collins 6
Very little to do in the first half, but was called into action early in the second and punched clear a deep cross which required him to deal with it. Exposed for the equaliser and then was sent the opposing way for McLean’s winner.
Van Ewijk 6
The wing-back struggled to build up a head of steam in the first half but he almost straight away sent in a testing cross intended for Wright within two minutes of the second half. Seriously speedy and athletic and able to carry the ball at great pace. Understanding with the floating Sakamoto improved as night wore on.
Howley 6
The youngster struggled a little at times in the first half. Found the big frame of Harry Pell a tough one to stop when he set about teeing up Tilley in the first half. Booked before the break for a late challenge.
Latibeaudiere 6
Took up his place, initially, in the middle of the back three. One or two hairy moments for City’s back-line in the first half but Wimbledon didn’t really hurt them. Latibeaudiere looked the part in the second half, until the mad final five minutes, just as much when City reverted to a back four. Comfortable on the ball as you’d expect and bite in the battle.
Binks 7
Looks a smart prospect, on the left of Robins’ back three. Very quietly went about his business. There’s plenty of him, so the physical Pell, Al-Hamadi and Sasu were well matched in that regard. Stepped out when it was prudent to do so.
Bidwell 7
Revelled in his wing back role. Constantly motoring down the left hand side and spent as much time in the opposing half as his own – maybe even more. The quality of his crosses from the left were good and posed questions of the Dons defence. Neat and tidy in possession.
Hamer 8*
The class act on the pitch, as you might’ve expected beforehand anyway. Makes passing, even when it involves playing balls through or over the top of the defence, look utterly effortless. Ran the show from deep and important to point out his work-rate out of possession – Hamer wins balls in his own box minutes after impacting the game at the other end.
Kelly 7
Encouraged into having a shot from distance by the away end before the end of the first half – he has three goals for the club for a reason! That effort was wayward, but more importantly Kelly did his job in the middle, ticking his team over and setting up one very good opening for Wright.
Sakamoto 7
A first real look at Sakamoto, who played as a number ten behind the two strikers. Patience will be key; the playmaker is clearly a talented footballer with the ball at his feet and an eager work without it, but he is looking for a wavelength with his new teammates as he gets to grips with the physicality of English football – there were signs he was learning in the second half.
Wright 6
Developing an early understanding with strike partner Godden. The one-touch move which resulted in him testing Tzanev early doors was encouraging indeed. Finishing still needs brushing up on – he sent one ball into the River Thames at one point, and in the second half he passed up a couple of decent opportunities – but he is a serious unit and will pose plenty of problems to defences in the air and on the ground.
Godden 7
Celebrated his new contract with the first goal of the night, a comprehensive finish from the penalty spot. He’ll have wondered how he only had one to his name at half time, though – Tzanev wasn’t for beating on at least two other occasions. Some really cute first-time touches into the path of Wright.
Substitutes
Sheaf (for Hamer 57) 6
Brought authority and composure to the midfield – not that the Sky Blues were lacking it prior to his introduction. Final ball for Wright was too heavy.
Palmer (for Howley 68)
Simms (for Godden 68)
Eccles (for Van Ewijk 90)
Substitutes not used: Moore, Dasilva, Eghosa, Perry, Obikwu
AFC Wimbledon starting XI: Tzanev, Brown, Reeves, Johnson, Tilley (McLean 84), Pell (Bugiel 79), Al Hamadi (Davison 64), Ball (Little 79), Sasu (Neufville 64), Lewis, Ogundere
Substitutes not used: Bass, Pearce, Sutcliffe, Williams
GOALS
Wimbledon – Bugiel 86, McLean 90; Coventry – Godden pen 17
The ref: Andrew Kitchen
