Oxford United went out of the Emirates FA Cup this afternoon as in-form Championship side Coventry City proved just too strong.
There was an incredible start with four goals inside the first 17 minutes, Mark Harris's eighth of the season for the U's sandwiched between strikes from Joel Latibeaudiere, Ben Sheaf and a Kasey Palmer piledriver, before a Callum O'Hare penalty and two from sub Matty Godden after the break sent the Sky Blues comfortably through to the fourth round, despite a late consolation from sub Tyler Goodrham.
United were behind after just eight minutes when Latibeaudiere touched a corner home at the near post, but within 90 seconds the U's were level as Harris picked up the ball from Marcus McGuane and let fly from 25 yards. The ball took a deflection and flew inside the left-hand post with Ben Wilson well beaten. Hopes of an upset flickered back into life but two quick goals from the home side swiftly snuffed those out
Unbelievably, the Sky Blues were back in front within two minutes. This time it came from open play as Ellis Simms attacked down the left and the ball found captain Sheaf near the penalty spot to fire past Simon Eastwood, despite the best efforts of McGuane to block, and make it 2-1 with the third goal in three breathless minutes.
If it had stayed that way for slightly longer then who knows what might have happened, but instead on 17 minutes Palmer strode into space 30 yards out and set his sights. It was a magnificent strike, giving Eastwood no chance as it flew into the top corner to make it 3-1 and leaving the U’s with a mountain to climb.
They held the home side at arm’s length for the rest of the half without truly looking like finding a way back into the tie, and that led to a change of shape and personnel at the break, with Billy Bodin and Stan Mills pushed forward and a four-man back line rather than the wing backs of the first half.
Before either could make an impact, the game was gone. There was a good save from the overworked Eastwood soon after the interval to keep it at 3-1 and then United were all but out as O'Hare rolled home a penalty after Ciaron Brown had been harshly adjudged to have fouled Palmer in trying to block his shot.
Eastwood made saves from Simms (twice) and Palmer, defenders blocked, midfielders chased and the effort was rewarded ten minutes from time when Goodrham, blocked on his left, fired home with his right to make it 4-2 and at least give the magnificent 3,191 away fans a little consolation, even that made irrelevant when Godden found just enough space in the area to curl the ball past the diving Eastwood and make it 5-2, before another fine finish on 89 to end matters and leave the travelling Yellow Army to put their tin foil FA Cups away for another year, while former winners Coventry go through to Monday's Fourth Round draw.
An injury to Stan Mills in injury time that needed a stretcher completed a day United will want to forget, but they now need to quickly switch their attention to another competition with a Wembley final: the Bristol Street Motors Trophy at AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday evening.
Att: 18,211
Away: 3,191
Report by Chris Williams, pictures Steve Daniels, Jason Pix, Steve Edmunds, Darrell Fisher