Matchday Memories: On This Day 2018 – See Mark’s Men Maul Magpies On Wembley Way!

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Sky Blue gaffer Mark Robins

Sky Blues fans will need little reminding that four years ago today (18th May 2018) the Sky Blues got themselves to another Wembley Final by comprehensively beating  League Two play-off semi-final opponents Notts County 4-1 in the second leg at Meadow Lane.

Sky Blues fans made up fully a quarter  of the crowd (4,475 out of 17,615) and they gave the Sky Blues tremendous vocal support in Nottingham. This followed the 1-1 draw at the Ricoh six days previously which had given County an away goal and a controversial Marc McNulty penalty three minutes from time had given the sixth place Sky Blues a fighting chance.

Marc & Max

The Sky Blues got a perfect start with an acrobatic opener from an overhead kick from Max Biamou after six minutes. Mark McNulty struck again (with his 28th of the season) finishing of a smart team move after 37 minutes to double the Sky Blues joy. However, County pulled one back from Jorge Grant a minute before the break to send the Sky Blues in at half-time 2-1 ahead.

Tom Bayliss in the Sky Blue

Though, there was sustained pressure from County (and a disallowed ‘goal’), City’s defence held firm and breakaway goals from Max Biamou (his second, after trickery in the box on 71 minutes) and Tom Bayliss four minutes from time broke the home side’s resistance and the hearts of their fans!

The 5-2 aggregate win gave manager Mark Robins his second Sky Blue Wembley outing in successive seasons (following our Checkatrade Trophy victory) in his second stint as Sky Blue boss!

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Thanks to CCFPA’s Dean Nelson you can watch the highlights by clicking on the image below.

The Sky Blues heroes that day were (CCFPA members underlined):-

Lee Burge, Jack Grimmer, Chris Stokes, Dom Hyam, Jordan Willis, Liam Kelly, Tom Bayliss, Michael Doyle (c), Max Biamou (sub. Jonson Clarke-Harris -74), Marc McNulty (sub. Jordan Ponticelli -90) and Jordan Shipley. Unused subs. Rod McDonald, Jordan Maguire-Drew, Josh Barrett, Kyel Reid & Liam O’Brien (gk)

Of these eighteen players only three (at the time of writing) i.e. Dom Hyam, Liam Kelly and Jordan Shipley have played important parts in the Sky Blues’ excellent 2021-22 Championship. It has recently been announced that ‘Cov Kid’ Jordan will be furthering his playing career with Shrewsbury Town rather than the Sky Blues next season!

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Manager Kevin Nolan‘s County side fielded two players who had previously been Sky Blue loanees, Richard Duffy and Jon Stead. It comprised:-

Adam Collin, Matt Tootle, Shaun Brisley, Elliott Hewitt, Richard Duffy, Lewis Alessandre (sub. Shola Ameobi -78), Daniel Jones, Liam Noble (sub. Michael O’Connor -45), Jonathan Forte, Jorge Grant and John Stead. Unused subs. Matthew Virtue-Thick, Alan Smith, Robert Milsom, Ben Hall and Ross Fitzsimons (gk)       Referee:- Darren Drysdale

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Max makes his mark!

As all Sky Blues fans, will know a 3-1 Wembley victory over Exeter City ten days later gave the sixth placed Sky Blues promotion to a League One berth, followed the next season by an excellent eighth place position (after a failed outside chance of another play-off finish). The following season Mark’s men won the League One title by a street despite COVID truncating the season. THis season MR has continued the Sky Blues inexorable progress improving season on season to our recent twelfth place Championship finish after gaining a safe sixteenth spot in their first season back.

CCFC 2018-19

Arguably that defeat registered this day four years ago precipitated the subsequent speedy decline of Notts. County, the oldest Football League Club, as they were relegated from League Two at the end of 2018-19 and still await a return to the Football League. At the time of writing, the Magpies still have promotion ambitions from the National League finishing 2021-22 in the playoffs. The Magpies have been assisted by a clutch of ex Sky Blue talent notably Jim O’Brien, Ben Turner, Dion Kelly-Evans and notably Michael Doyle (all now CCFPA members) with Michael now their assistand first team coach.

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young & Dean Nelson for sourcing the images.

 

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