Coventry City 3-4 Wrexham: National League side cause FA Cup shock

FA Cup highlights: Coventry City 3-4 Wrexham

National League Wrexham knocked Championship side Coventry City out of the FA Cup in a seven-goal thriller.

Early goals from Sam Dalby and Elliot Lee got Wrexham off to a dream start before Ben Sheaf halved the deficit.

Thomas O'Connor got Wrexham's third before Paul Mullin's penalty looked to have sealed the win, with Jonathan Panzo also sent off for handball.

But substitute Viktor Gyokeres got one back for the 10 men and Kasey Palmer's free-kick set up a grandstand finish.

But Wrexham held on despite late chances for the Sky Blues and it is the non-league side who will be in the draw for the FA Cup fourth round for the first time since 2000.

Wrexham took the lead after just 12 minutes when Dalby rose highest between two Coventry defenders.

Just five minutes later Wrexham got their second when Lee's back-post cross searching for Mullin caught out Simon Moore in the Coventry goal and went straight in - to the delight of the travelling fans behind the goal.

The Championship side found a way back into the contest before half-time when Martyn Waghorn laid off to Sheaf to stroke home from near the penalty spot.

Coventry were on top for the first time in the contest but, in first-half added time Wrexham got their third when Luke Young's header was nodded back across goal by Dalby for O'Connor to head home.

Things went from bad to worse in the second half for Coventry, when Panzo blocked Max Cleworth's goal-bound effort with his arm and was shown a straight red card.

From the resulting penalty Mullin stepped up calmly to send Moore the wrong way and score Wrexham's fourth.

After hitting the post Palmer set up Gyokeres, the Sweden international finishing from close range to reduce Wrexham's lead to two.

And, with 15 minutes left, Wrexham's lead was down to one, when Palmer's curling free-kick beat Howard, who was rooted to the spot.

Gyokeres almost levelled from a tight angle but Howard just did enough to push the rising effort onto the post.

Coventry continued to throw everything at Wrexham, Palmer's sliding effort coming closest, but they just could not find a way through.

Coventry City manager Mark Robins told BBC CWR:

"That's probably the most embarrassed I've felt in the first 60 minutes of any football match that I've managed. Credit to Wrexham, they were better than us in that penalty area and put us under a load of pressure. They brought 4,500 - and that's the loudest I've ever heard the stadium. There was a lot of noise.

"Our fans have seen us win the FA Cup. it was probably the best day of their lives, a lot of them. They've also seen some really bad days and unfortunately this is one of those. "It feels like a missed opportunity, but we've got to take it on the chin.

"The last half an hour they gave it a right go. The amount of chances we had and the good quality of the chances, we could have gone on and won. To score five goals at home, I don't care who you're playing, is very difficult to do, but we almost clawed our way back in and got a draw.

"It feels like a missed opportunity, but we've got to take it on the chin. And we can't let this affect us for too long. It stings. There's no doubt it hurts, but ultimately we've got to get on and recover right and prepare right for the next phase of games."

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson:

"I'm so pleased with the boys. It's a great chapter in the story of Wrexham since the new owners have come in - and I'm sure they will be overjoyed with what they've seen.

"There's a fantastic positive vibe in the town and behind the team. There's a real buzz everywhere you go. It's been great to be a part of that.

"Wrexham have got a very good record in terms of some great wins over the years and wherever I go since I've been manager people speak to me about those special days.

"It was important for us that we enjoyed the occasion but that we put in a performance that reflected how I know we can play - and I felt we did that, to put in a performance to reflect the history of the club in the FA Cup and the amazing support we knew we'd have."

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