On this day (3rd January) in 2009 the Sky Blues, managed by Chris Coleman, were taking a new year break from Championship matters, where they were just below mid-table. Today they entertained Blue Square Premier side Kidderminster Harriers in the Third Round of the F.A.Cup.
Last time thay had played the Kiddies in this competition was way back in November 1902 whwn CCFC were members of the Birmingham & District League and the two sides fought out a 2-2 draw at the pretty new Highfield Road! City won the replay in Kidderminster 4-2!
Today, however there was a much bigger league gulf between the two teams and, after a goalless first half, status told an second half goals from Leon McKenzie after 51 minutes) and Leon Best nine minutes from the final whistle put the Sky Blues through to the next round.Sky Blues beat Kidderminster 2-0 at Ricoh. There was a Ricoh attendance of 13,652 (including an impresive 3,006 Kiddes’ fans).
The deserved Sky Blue victory came after a hard-fought contest. In the first half the Harriers goalkeeper Adam Bartlett had to save well from both scoring forwards to keep the Harriers a clean sheet by the interval.
Just after the break Kiddies’ Russell Penn produced a long-range effort which went close to give the visitors some hope but six minutes in (now CCFPA member) Leon M’s left-foot shot gave the Sky Blues a toehold in the game and then Leon B notched a late breakaway goal to put the result beyond doubt.
The teams lined up as follows:-
Sky Blues (CCFPA members underlined):-
Andy Marshall, Stephen Wright, Curtis Wynter, Ben Turner, Marcus Hall, Robbie Simpson (sub. Clinton Morrison -83), Aron Gunnarsson, Michael Doyle, Leon McKenzie (sub. Danny Fox -69), Leon Best and Freddy Eastwood
Unused subs: Kevin Thornton, Adam Walker, Ashley Cain, Sean Fraser and Dimi Konstantopoulos (gk)
Goals: McKenzie 52, Best 82
Kidderminster Harriers (managed by Mark Yates)
Bartlett, Lowe, Creighton, Riley, Baker, Brittain (Knights 77), Bennett, Penn, Ferrell (Smikle 57), Barnes-Homer (Moore 87), Richards. Unused subs: Coleman, Jones, McDermott, Foley. Referee: Mark Haywood (West Yorkshire).
The Sky Blues made further progress in the F.A.Cup defeating Torquay United at Plainmoor by the only goal of the game in Round Four and then, in the Fifth Round, squeezing past Blackburn Rovers at the Ricoh thanks to a 58th minute Leon Best goal after a 2-2 draw at Ewood Park. City eventually came unstuck in the Quarter Finals losing 2-0 to Chelsea at the Ricoh.
CCFC 2008-09
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young & Dean Nelson for sourcing the images.