Brighton to host Coventry City in FA Cup Fifth Round

Brighton and Hove Albion have been drawn at home to League Two side Coventry City in the draw for the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Given that we’ve had two spectacularly shit draws so far with home games against arch rivals Crystal Palace and a trip to bloody Middlesbrough, drawing the lowest ranked team left in the competition at home was just about the best result that could come out of the hat.

Chris Hughton’s reserve side proved too strong for Championship promotion challengers Middlesbrough in the last round, so even if the Albion send out the stiffs there is a golden opportunity here to make a first FA Cup Quarter Final since 1986.

Of course, this being Brighton and Hove Albion there is also the extreme likelihood that they will cock it right up. There have been inglorious exits in the FA Cup, League Cup and Paint Pot at the hands of lower league clubs Lincoln City (x2), Newport County, Swindon Town, Luton Town, Mansfield Town, Shrewsbury Town, Bristol Rovers, Hereford United, Sudbury Town and Kingstonian.

We last faced the Sky Blues on New Years Eve 2011, a particularly harrowing experience that involved a 2-0 defeat away at the side bottom of the table in which Gus Poyet’s men failed to have one shot on target. Our last FA Cup meeting came at Withdean in the third round stage in 2006, a game so memorable I can’t even tell you what the score was.

The tie will be played on the weekend of February 17th and ticket prices should be at the bottom of the scale. Hopefully those unable to secure tickets for the glamour away games so far this season will be able to attend to pick up loyalty points rather than being scheduled to wash their hair that day.