High as harried Sky Blues hold out

I’d also like to thank the fans for coming – and hopefully we can give them a sexy tie next time.

“Financially it is a really important competition for everyone so thankfully we are through and can utilise that. More in the coffers from another match.”

Coventry started sluggishly and needed some

COVENTRY luck in the opening minutes with home keeper Ben Wilson pulling off an amazing save to deny Tom Lawrence.

It must have felt strange for the Rams in a competition where they were actually on a level playing field for a change.

Rooney kept urging and made a quadruple substitution in a bid to take the tie

DERBY to extra time. Sam Baldock’s attempt was blocked by Josh Eccles and keeper Allsop was not far away.

Rooney joked: “Ryan is going to have to work on his heading! We went for it.

“The performance was very good. I thought we dictated the game.

“Where we have to improve is our final pass and decisionmaking. If we improve that, and get that better, that makes us a very good team.

“You can talk about momentum and the run we have been on but this is a one-off game in the FA Cup and I really wanted to have a run. I love this competition.”

Former Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is the latest to be linked to a takeover of the club but Rooney says he does not know the identity of preferred bidders.

He added: “I know it is very close and I’m pretty sure I will be sitting in front of you next week with the preferred bidder in place.”

BALI MUMBA marked his Peterborough debut with a wonder FA Cup winner.

The on-loan Norwich defender’s super solo effort added to Sammie Szmodics’ opener after former Posh favourite Paul Coutts had fired League Two Rovers level from the spot.

It was the first senior goal for the 20-year-old (above) too.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson said: “He gave us energy, got the crowd up and scored a great goal with a great finish. He won us the game.”

Covid forced Bristol Rovers boss

Joey Barton to miss their first match since December 11 – and it was Championship strugglers Posh’s first game since December 18.

In the 20th minute Rovers keeper James Belshaw gifted Szmodics an opener. He tried to mop up Ronnie Edwards’ throughball but the forward – just onside – nipped in to poke it past him and find an empty net.

But Rovers were level on the half-hour when Antony Evans unleashed a shot that was off target moments before colliding with Posh keeper Dai Cornell. Despite the hosts’ protestations, referee Andy Davies pointed to the spot and Coutts sent Cornell the wrong way.

Mumba’s magic moment arrived in the 63rd minute. The half-time sub intercepted Evans’ loose pass, played a one-two with Szmodics, and showed great control to evade challengers in the box before slipping the home.

Brett Pitman had a late goal chalked off and Rovers coach Andy Mangan said: “We had a perfectly good goal disallowed which the referee got wrong.”

PETERBORO

BRISTOL ROVERS