Robins savours ‘overdue’ first away win

Posted Sunday, November 10, 2019 by PA

Coventry manager Mark Robins was delighted to see his side move into the FA Cup second round – and notch their first away win of the season – with a 2-0 success at Colchester.

First-half goals from Jordan Shipley and Sam McCallum saw the Sky Blues make serene progress in a one-sided contest at the JobServe Community Stadium.

Robins, who won the FA Cup with Manchester United in 1990, said: “I thought we played really well and controlled the game.

“It certainly wasn’t easy. Colchester are a good side and they play a decent brand of football.

“We know they have threats and saw that at times. But I was just pleased we managed to keep control of the game.

“Our possession was good, we created decent chances and the players worked their socks off.

“Their work-rate was phenomenal – as good as it’s been – and now we have to keep performing to that level, because the players have got enough quality to ensure there are more good results away from home.

“We’ve been really unlucky (on the road this season). We had three goals disallowed at Bolton Wanderers and were 30 seconds away from a victory against Peterborough.

“But this was overdue and I’m really pleased to get our first away win in the bag.

“The FA Cup is special and now we’re into the second round, which we didn’t manage last season.”

Shipley finished emphatically from Zain Westbrooke’s through-ball on 11 minutes before McCallum’s free-kick eluded everybody in the box and flew into the top corner.

Us boss John McGreal said: “We’re bitterly disappointed to go out, especially at home. But sometimes, even when you’re doing well, you come up against a side that are better than you.

“We’ve been in a position throughout the course of the season where the opposition have said hats off to us. Today, we have to be honest and say hats off to Coventry.

“We’re a progressing team but they’re doing very well in League One. You could see why. Their passing and movement was very good. They seemed to have time on the ball and used it well.

“In the second half, we got to grips with them a bit more and had a few phases, without overly testing their goalkeeper.

“Sometimes you have to learn from different challenges and I said pre-match this would be our biggest challenge of the season, apart from the Carabao Cup ties (against Premier League pair Crystal Palace and Tottenham). That proved the case.”