- Albion progress to the Emirates FA Cup sixth round
- Jurgen Locadia scores on his debut
- Connor Goldson and Leonardo Ulloa also on target
- Jonson Clarke-Harris scores a consolation for Coventry
Brighton & Hove Albion claimed their place in the Emirates FA Cup sixth round for the first time in 32 years following a comfortable 3-1 victory over Coventry City at the Amex.
A goal from Jurgen Locadia on his Albion debut, along with headers from Connor Goldson and Leonardo Ulloa, gave the Seagulls a 3-0 lead before Jonson Clarke-Harris struck late on for Coventry.
Chris Hughton made nine changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Stoke City in the Premier League last week, with only Dale Stephens and Solly March retaining their places in the starting line-up.
March created Albion’s first opening when his cross from the left-hand side was spilled by Coventry keeper Lee Burge inside the box, before Ryan Haynes made a clearance.
Locadia made an instant impression on the bumper Amex crowd when his shot cannoned back off the woodwork, after Coventry failed to deal with a corner into the box.
Uwe Huenemeier then met an in-swinging Markus Suttner ball into the box, only to see his rising header go over the bar.
The Sky Blues also hit the woodwork in a lively opening to the game, through Clarke-Harris, whose header from Marc McNulty’s corner clipped the crossbar.
Albion broke the deadlock in the 15th minute thanks to Locadia, who coolly swept home Anthony Knockaert’s cross from the right-hand side - making a perfect start to his Brighton career.
Locadia could have doubled his tally when March delivered a ball from the left, but the Dutchman lost his footing just as he was about to shoot.
Suttner then turned provider for the frontman, but he couldn’t quite make a decent enough connection to divert his attempt goalwards.
Albion did get a second goal though from a more unexpected source, as Goldson back-peddled inside the box to meet Suttner’s corner before sending a brilliant header beyond Burge with 34 minutes played.
City attempted to gain a foothold in the contest when Josh Barrett was allowed to turn on the edge of the area, only to see his strike go narrowly past the left-hand post.
Locadia was involved in the thick of the action again when he turned provider for Knockaert, who shot over the target from the edge of the area.
Hughton made two changes at the break, with Tim Krul and Stephens replaced by Niki Maenpaa and Davy Propper.
The Sky Blues had a chance to test Maenpaa with a set-piece from the right flank, but the Finn comfortably collected Jordan Shipley’s set-piece.
The game was then effectively ended as a contest just past the hour-mark when Ulloa connected perfectly with Bruno’s in-swinging cross to steer his header past Burge.
Coventry were not deterred by the setback though and almost made it 3-1 when Clarke-Harris's deft flick from a Tom Bayliss cross fell inches wide of the far post.
Clarke-Harris did get his name on the scoresheet though, and clinically fired home a loose ball from inside the box with 13 minutes remaining.
But Albion were still in cruise control and Bruno delivered another enticing cross from the right, which Knockaert narrowly failed to connect with at the far post.
Sam Baldock came on from the bench late on, and almost added his name to the scoresheet in the closing stages, but his shot hit the bar from a March cross.
ALBION: Krul (Maenpaa 46); Bruno, Huenemeier, Goldson, Suttner; Knockaert, Stephens (Propper 46), Kayal, March; Locadia (Baldock 77), Ulloa.
SUBS NOT USED: Dunk, Rosenior, Izquierdo, Hemed.
LOTTERY RESULTS
1901 CLUB LOTTERY
1ST PRIZE £1000 153836
2ND PRIZE 154439
3RD PRIZE 153955
4TH PRIZE 154498
5TH PRIZE 155749
ALBION HAT TRICK
1ST £450 1525
2ND £50 2471
3RD £25 3103
1ST GOAL TIME 15 MINS