Samba To The Rescue

Christopher Samba stopped a second successive FA cup defeat at the hands of Coventry at a sparsely populated Ewood Parl yesterday.

2-2 was how it ended in a thrilling tie but it means that both sides have to do it all again on the 24th of Feb in the replay.

Coventry's hopes of pulling off another shock got off to the worst possible start when Roque Santa 'celebration' Cruz lashed in a beauty of a shot from the edge of the area in the second minute of the game.

Paul Robinson launched a long punt into the penalty area and Samba nodded the ball down for Roque Santa Cruz, who promptly slammed an angled drive into the far corner from 15 yards out.

This pattern repeated itself throughout the first half as Blackburn clearly dominated and only Jesus Christ and Sasman knows how it was only 1-0 come the break.

Jason Roberts missed a golden opportunity to make it 2-0 when he screwed a shot well wide when it would of been easier to hit the target after great play by Danny Simpson and Santa 'lets go mental when I score' Cruz.

At the other end, Aron Gunnarsson, who to be fair looks a cracking player, was guilty of a glaring miss of his own when he somehow headed wide from four yards away.

The second half was a complete reversal as Coventry came out looking for blood, Rovers sat back and invited them on which was a mistake.

In the 61st minute after a succession of corners, Gunnarsson atoned for his earlier miss in the most clinical way.

Seizing on a half hearted headed clearance from the otherwise impressive Gael Givet, the Icelander took the ball under his spell and from 25 yards sent a belter stormer past Robinson.

Coventry then completed the reversal when Nathan Doyle sent a speculative effort towards goal, clipping Chris Samba's leg and looping over a helpless Robinson in the 76th minute.

Rovers looked to be heading out but moments before the end sub Keith Treacy sent in a shot, it was spilled by Andy Marshall in the Coventry goal and Chris Samba, used as an emergency striker, swivelled on the ball and sent it between the keepers leg to put Rovers in the hat and book a replay at the Ricoh Arena.

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