By J Bateman
January 15 2003

FA Cup report on tonights game at Highfield Road between Coventry and Cardiff.

FA Cup Third Round (replay)

Coventry 3  Fowler 21 Holdsworth 57  Bothroyd 88 Cardiff 0 at Highfield Road ko 19-45

Coventry ended up comfortable winners in this Third Round Replay against Cardiff , Cardiff didn't go down without a fight mind you, at times they rocked the Division One side with slick passing and great attacking play and will be a credit to the First Division if promoted.

It was Coventry who got the ball rolling on 21 minutes when Lee Fowler was sent clear by Jay Bothroyd and cooly chipped the advancing Cardiff keeper Alexander , Cardiff went close to equalising not long after Robert Earnshaw seeing his goalbound effort cleared of the line and onto the crossbar by Mo Konjic.

Into the second half and Coventry extended there lead from a majestic Dean Holdsworth strike, he collected a ball in midfield from manager Gary Mcallister and galloped forward looked up and curled a great strike from 25 yards into the top corner of the net.

Coventry killed the Bluebirds of towards the end Jay Bothroyd finishing off with a low drive into the bottom corner aided by a nasty deflection , overall Coventry strike play was superb tonight but spare a though for unlucky Cardiff it will be a pleasure seeing them get promoted this season as they can add there excellent brand of football to Division One.

Coventry: Hyldgaard, Konjic, Davenport, Shaw, Partridge (Betts 79), Pead, Fowler, McAllister, Gordon, Holdsworth, Bothroyd.
Subs Not Used: Mills, Strachan, McSheffrey, Montgomery.
Booked: Fowler, Holdsworth. 

Cardiff: Alexander, Weston, Young (Collins 82), Barker, Legg, Bowen, Kavanagh, Boland, Croft (Campbell 75), Earnshaw, Thorne (Fortune-West 75).
Subs Not Used: Margetson, Maxwell.
Booked: Boland, Legg.

Att: 11,997
Ref: G Poll (Hertfordshire).