Coventry 2 Stoke 1 match highlights: Mark Hughes sacked after being dumped out by League Two side
Prem strugglers suffer shock defeat as Jordan Willis and Jack Grimmer pile more pressure on Potters boss
Prem strugglers suffer shock defeat as Jordan Willis and Jack Grimmer pile more pressure on Potters boss
MARK HUGHES’ 200th game in charge of Stoke City turned out to be his last - after the Potters crashed out of the FA Cup to League Two Coventry City.
Goals from Jordan Willis and a deflected Jack Grimmer winner was enough to send Mark Robins’ Sky Blues through to the fourth round.
But there was nothing to celebrate for Sparky as the beleaguered Stoke boss was again targeted by furious fans after this latest disaster.
Hughes was sacked later in the evening by Stoke.
Jordan Willis headed Coventry in front after 25 minutes when Jack Grimmer headed on Jordan Maguire-Drew’s near-post corner and the centre half powered his back post header beyond Butland.
Although Charlie Adam gave the Potters a brief glimmer of hope when he converted a second half penalty to level the score at 1-1, Coventry refused to buckle.
And it was swiftly wiped out by Coventry’s Grimmer of hope as the Sky Blues’ right-back rifled in his shot from the edge of box, which took a decisive deflection on its way past England ‘keeper Butland.
Despite sending on a flurry of forwards when Hughes pitched Peter Crouch, Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting and Xherdan Shaqiri into the fray, Stoke lacked composure and ideas.
In the end they could have absolutely no complaints about being humbled by a side 53 places below them on the football ladder.
It was the Potters’ eighth defeat in their last 11 games.
And the anger at their disastrous run spilled over into the stands.
Away supporters held up a number of banners targeting Hughes and clashed with stewards and home fans too on a bad-tempered afternoon.
Next up is a trip to Old Trafford for Stoke, the Theatre of Dreams where Hughes forged his reputation as a fearsome fighter.
He will require all those qualities and more if he is to be in charge for game No.201.
Right now the odds are stacked against him.
And he is struggling for support - but it remains to be seen whether he still has it from his board after this latest embarrassment.
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