Matchday Memories: On This Day 2002 – Macca’s Men Roast Rushden (‘Sheffers’ Scores Three Of Sky Blues’ Eight)!!

Gary McAllister- Sky Blue ‘gaffer’

On this day (2nd October) in 2002 the Sky Blues (now in Division One), managed by former player Gary McAllister, took on lower league team Rushden & Diamonds at home in the Second Round of the League (Worthington) Cup. They were confident after dispatching Colchester United in the first round, also at home by three goals without reply. Today 8,720 turned up at Highfield Road to see the Sky Blues knock in a record Cup score of 8-0 against R&D, four in each half. 

Gary McSheffrey in Action

The young side could have got themselves into double figures especially after Rushden went down to ten then nine men! The Northants’ side’s Barry Hunter was red-carded after only half an hour for two yellow cards with the Sky Blues already 2-0 up with goals from CCFPA member Gary McSheffrey after ten minutes (the first of a hat-trick) and another from recent CCFPA recruit Lee Mills CCFPA (the first of a brace after 24 minutes).

Lee Mills

The forward pair then repeated their scoring sequence on 36 minutes and bang on half-time. 

Robert Betts in the Sky Blue

Rushden’s substitute John Dempster was later dismissed on 81 minutes for hand-ball in the penalty area gifting the City their seventh goal put away by rookie Robert Betts. 

Jay in Sky Blue action

Robert had to fight off both ‘Sheffers’ and fellow CCFPA member Richard Shaw (who had subbed yet another CCFPA member, City’s centre half Mo Konjic) for the right to take the spot kick!

In between Sheffers had completed his treble on 51 minutes and Jay Bothroyd (who had come on as a sub for Lee Mills at half-time) had chipped in a brace on 62 minutes and, finishing the rout off, netted again on 85 minutes! Eddie Stanford made one of his only two Sky Blues appearances (both from the bench) when he replaced (both recent CCFPA recruits) Youssef Safri.

The graphic below supplies nearly all the main match details. The referee was Mr Graham Salisbury

There were also a number of Rushden substitutions in the game. In order, John Dempster replaced David Bell, Scott Partridge replaced Paul Hall and Marcus Bignot replaced Daniel Talbot. Interestingly, the Rushden team that day included Gary Mills who had been a youth player at CCFC, David Bell who went on to play for the Sky Blues and CCFPA member Paul Hall who had played at Highfield Road between 1998-2000! Both David and Pual are now Association members.

City’s Worthington Cup journey lasted only a little longer as they went out 0-3 at Crystal Palace in the third round. In the league, using 44 players during what was a poor season overall, the Sky Blues finished only two places (and four points) above the Division One relegation zone and the trio of clubs that took the drop, Sheffield Wednesday, Brighton and Grimsby Town.

Divisional Champions Portsmouth went up with second placed Leicester City and  (after the playoffs) fifth placed Wolverhampton Wanderers.

CCFC 2002-03

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