Match report: York City 0, Coventry City 4

CALAMITOUS defending saw York City gift Coventry City an easy passage into the third round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, following a thumping 4-0 home defeat.

Experienced pair Clarke Carlisle and Scott Kerr made second-half howlers that David McGoldrick and Callum Ball gratefully capitalised on.

An awfully-defended free-kick then handed McGoldrick the opportunity to claim his second of the night before left-back Chris Hussey completed the rout on 90 minutes.

After an even first half, the Minstermen ran out of attacking impetus following the break and have now equalled a club record by failing to score in four consecutive home matches during the same season.

Home boss Gary Mills made three changes to the side that started Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Rotherham.

On-loan Peterborough United midfielder Danny Kearns was handed his full debut and Kerr kicked off his first senior game since suffering knee ligament damage at Luton back in March.

Oli Johnson also made his first competitive start for the Minstermen following his summer switch from Oxford United.

Utility man Dan Parslow dropped to the bench with Michael Coulson and Paddy McLaughlin both left out of the 16-strong squad altogether.

Matty Blair, keen to impress against his home-town club, forced a near-post save from Joe Murphy after just 34 seconds, having burst through the left channel following Jason Walker’s dummy.

Moments later, City goalkeeper Michael Ingham was called into action for the first time, gathering John Fleck’s angled drive after the Sky Blues winger had got the better of Jon Challinor down the left flank.

An open start to the game then saw Carl Baker shoot wide from eight yards after he beat Jamal Fyfield to a low sixth-minute Ball cross.

Blair’s inventive back-heel was then deflected into Murphy’s direction after good work by Johnson while, at the other end, Baker sidestepped a Kearns challenge before testing Ingham low to his right from 25 yards.

On ten minutes, an upright Ingham reacted smartly to push away Richard Wood’s close-range downward header and, shortly afterwards, on-loan Nottingham Forest striker McGoldrick wasted a 5v2 situation for the counter-attacking visitors when he chose to shoot selfishly from 25 yards.

His effort almost surprised Ingham, however, who unconvincingly fumbled the ball behind for a corner.

Ashley Chambers was equally as profligate for City when he miskicked four yards in front of goal and Walker fired narrowly wide after his excellent run through the right channel was picked out by Challinor.

Midway through the half, Fleck’s shot flashed inches wide of Ingham’s top right-hand corner after Chris Doig had given away possession while Chambers almost uprooted the corner flag with a 20-yard chance and Fyfield shot wide of Murphy’s near post with his weaker right foot.

Coventry made a purposeful start to the second period with McGoldrick’s smart turn creating a good chance that he curled wide.

Ball then somehow contrived to head wide from two yards after a right-wing cross from McGoldrick, who went on to break the deadlock on 58 minutes.

Attempting to play the ball out from the back just moments after replacing an injured Doig, Carlisle only succeeded in finding the feet of McGoldrick, who gleefully accepted the invitation to curl into an out-of-position Ingham’s bottom left-hand corner from 25 yards.

McGoldrick and Franck Moussa immediately went close to doubling the visitors’ lead while the hosts offered no attacking threat.

After Baker went close with a dipping, long-range attempt, another hapless error settled the tie.

A tired Kerr was robbed of possession 30 yards from goal and Ball went on to beat an exposed Ingham with an easy side-footed finish.

Further slackness saw the visitors add a third on 81 minutes when McGoldrick profited again from a sleeping home defence to latch on to Baker’s quickly-taken free-kick and beat Ingham despite the efforts of Fyfield to prevent the ball crossing the line.

City's best chance of a consolation saw Jamie Reed, brought on as a substitute to the delight of home fans who had been chanting his name, prod an 88th-minute chance towards goal that was cleared off the line.

Substitute Hussey then broke to add a fourth goal, bursting through the left channel before driving across Ingham into the bottom corner.

Match facts

York City 0, Coventry City 4 (McGoldrick 52 81, Ball 72, Hussey 90)

York City: Michael Ingham 6, Jon Challinor 6, Chris Smith 6, Chris Doig 6, Jamal Fyfield 7, Scott Kerr 6, Danny Kearns 6, Matty Blair 6, Oli Johnson 6, Jason Walker 6, Ashley Chambers 5.

Substitutes: Clarke Carlisle (for Doig 52, 5), Dan Parslow (for Johnson 67, 6), Jamie Reed (for Kerr 74). Not used: Paul Musselwhite, Jonathan Smith.

Star man: Jamal Fyfield – maintained his good form on a sorry night.

Coventry City: Joe Murphy, Jordan Clarke, Nathan Cameron, Richard Wood (Cyrus Christie 31), Jamie Reckord, Carl Baker, Franck Moussa (Chris Hussey 75), James Bailey, John Fleck (Steve Jennings 72), Callum Ball, David McGoldrick.

Subs (not used): Chris Dunn, Stephen Elliott.

Referee: Geoff Eltringham (Sunderland). Rating: 8/10.

Booked: Baker 66, Chambers 82.

Sent off: None.

Attendance: 2,771 (374 away fans).

Shots on target: City 3, Coventry 8.

Shots off target: City 6, Coventry 9.

Corners: City 9, Coventry 4.

Fouls conceded: City 7, Coventry 8.

Offsides: City 0, Coventry 0.