Maine Road battle sees City through

Manchester City 1 Coventry 0

Thirteen frightening minutes of violence at Maine Road showed that supporters are being put at risk because police and clubs have become too dependent on stewards to keep the peace.

Security criteria throughout the country may need an overhaul after 100 Coventry City hooligans broke through a cordon manned only by Manchester City volunteers.

The incident proved not only that violence remains a threat to the national game but that stewards alone are not a sufficient deterrent to the most determined of thugs.

Trouble flared after Shaun Goater's injury- time goal gave Manchester City a 1-0 win. Significantly, police who had been helping to enforce a segregated area between the rival fans had been withdrawn three minutes earlier. They were deployed outside the ground, ready for the end of the game.

The Coventry thugs sensed their opportunity and surged forward. Punches were thrown and missiles hurled and, but for the 40 stewards who bravely stood their ground, the situation would have been even graver.

Chief Inspector Chris Marshall, the police commander at the match, said: 'We worked to a planned operation and towards the end of the game I deployed my officers to the exits outside the ground where there would be more potential for trouble.

'This was the third meeting between the clubs this season. There had been no history of trouble and there had been no incidents during the game.

'But for no reason these supporters clambered over a wall and 22 empty rows of seats to get at those sitting in the main stand. The stewards did an excellent job. They have their own response team and dealt with the problem very well until my officers joined them, but it did take some time to restore order.'

In fact, the violence took 13 minutes to quell, as police, wearing riot helmets, waded into the core of the hooligans, many officers throwing punches themselves.

The FA will await referee David Elleray's report on the trouble but it is unlikely that Manchester City will face a fine. Coventry chairman Bryan Richardson said: 'We will ban for life anyone found to have been involved.'

Substitute Goater took City into the fifth round with a powerful header beyond keeper Magnus Hedman from Tony Grant's corner.

Coventry almost scored 11 minutes into the game when Jay Bothroyd skipped away from Nicky Weaver, but Scotland defender Paul Ritchie got in a face-saving tackle for the home side. A minute later Coventry were again inches away when John Eustace's effort thumped the post after a clever drag-back by Craig Bellamy - but the longer the game went on, the less assured the visitors looked.

City's Paulo Wanchope was clearly unhappy at being replaced by Goater in the 71st minute - but the switch was, ultimately, to prove the deciding factor.

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