Coventry City’s FA Cup journey came to a dramatic halt at Wembley against Manchester United, leaving fans and players alike with a rollercoaster of emotions.
Mark Robins, the Sky Blues’ manager, couldn’t help but inject a bit of humour into the heartbreak, suggesting that perhaps a simple act of Haji Wright “cutting his toenails” could have changed the narrative.
After a breathtaking comeback from 3-0 down against Manchester United, Coventry found themselves on the brink of a historic FA Cup Final appearance. However, a VAR decision ruled Wright offside by the slimmest of margins, denying Victor Torp’s apparent winning goal in extra time.
Mark Robins’ reaction to Coventry City’s disallowed goal
Robins, never one to shy away from a witty remark, mentioned that had Wright trimmed his toenails, the outcome might have been different.
Robins, whose own exploits with Manchester United in 1990 are the stuff of legend, praised his team’s resilience and performance. Despite the disappointment, he emphasized the pride he felt in his players’ ability to claw their way back into the match, mirroring the fighting spirit of his own glory days.
Coventry City’s chief added in his post-match press conference: “Our performance will be spoken about for a long time. We are disappointed but we can’t be too down about it. For the last hour of the game we performed like Manchester United and that’s what I’m proud of.”
Coventry pushed Manchester United to the limit in the FA Cup semi-final
The match itself was a spectacle, with Coventry defying the odds after trailing 3-0. Goals from Ellis Simms and Callum O’Hare ignited hope, while Wright’s converted penalty forced the game into extra time. It was a testament to Coventry’s tenacity and refusal to back down against one of football’s giants.
Yet, as the match descended into a tense penalty shootout, Coventry’s nerves proved their undoing. Misses from O’Hare and Ben Sheaf dashed their dreams of reaching the final, leaving them with bittersweet memories of what might have been.
That’s now two penalty shootouts the Sky Blues have lost in the past season at Wembley, having fell to defeat in the Championship play-off final last term against Luton Town.