Newcastle United fans did not hide their disgust after the Magpies crumbled at the hands of newly promoted Coventry City on a shocking night in the East Midlands.
By the time the final whistle had sounded some sections of the 3,030 travelling fans had voted with their feet and headed for the exits. While those who were left directed their anger at Matthias Jaissle and the players as they made their way over to applaud at the end of the game following this ugly scoreline.
Possession and chances not enough
United actually had 66.7% possession at the Coventry Building Society Arena and managed 19 goal attempts, but it was the home side who showed their clinical side. Sven Botman's goal looked like it had dragged Newcastle back into the game, but Coventry turned on the style late on and secured a famous win.
Newcastle players looked shell-shocked as they made their way back from the away end with Jaissle looking a little haunted by what he'd just witnessed.
Early penalty sets tone
The atmosphere was white hot at kick off as Coventry fans lapped up the big occasion, and this even led to Yoane Wissa pointing to his head, urging focus to his team-mates as he got the game underway. But there were early jitters as Lukas Hornicek failed to make a convincing claim on the greasy ball in the penalty area.
Sidiki Cherif nipped in first after Hornicek failed to gather Brandon Thomas-Asante's probing pass, but the Czech international was adjudged to have taken the former Fenerbahce man down in the box with referee John Brooks pointing to the spot. It was left to Jack Rudoni to step and the midfielder stepped up to send Hornicek the wrong way and put the Sky Blues in front on six minutes.
At least there was a response from Newcastle, who started to ask questions of a Coventry defence that had conceded 10 goals this season. But on 13 minutes, Harvey Barnes got the power right then lacked accuracy as his effort went straight at Carl Rushworth.
Second half collapse
Jaissle opted against making changes at the break and was punished within three minutes of the restart. Thiaw's weak-headed clearance was worrying enough but Cherif was allowed to take a heavy touch and STILL send a rasping effort through a sea of bodies and make it 2-0.
True, Newcastle were down to 10 men with Willock off the field getting treatment but Newcastle simply failed to deal with the situation. It was a situation that had resulted from a long throw with too many Newcastle players stood admiring the view.
Just as it felt like the game was drifting away from Newcastle, Botman got forward and tried something out of the ordinary before letting fly from 20 yards and beating Rushworth to haul his side back into it. After latching on to a pass from Gonzalez, it changed the context of the final 20 minutes at the CBS Arena.
But just as Coventry looked like they were beginning to wobble, it was a panic moment from Joelinton that led to a third goal for the Sky Blues. First Joelinton got away with upending Tatsuhiro Sakamoto before trying to dribble clear of danger. He then steamed into another foul on Brandon Thomas-Asante, but the ball broke loose from Ellis Simms, who fired home to re-establish the Sky Blues' two-goal lead.
And it would get worse as substitute Stephen Mfuni who danced around three players and slammed it low past Hornicek to make it 4-1 with four minutes left. It was then that Newcastle stars tried to apologise to fans, but for some supporters it was a gesture that looked like it had been rejected.
Referee: John Brooks (Melton Mowbray)
Attendance: 30,811
