Coventry 1-0 Blackburn

Leon Best (left) celebrates his FA Cup winner with Clinton Morrison

Championship side Coventry pulled off an FA Cup shock by dumping out Premier League Blackburn Rovers in their fifth round replay at the Ricoh Arena.

Striker Leon Best was the Sky Blues' hero, heading home Aron Gunnarsson's centre just before the hour mark.

Coventry were easily the better side against a much-changed Rovers, with Elliott Ward heading wide and Clinton Morrison firing into the side-netting.

Tugay shot over and Jason Roberts fired wide, but Blackburn were disappointing.

Manager Sam Allardyce made 11 changes from the team that lost 2-1 in the league at Manchester United on Saturday, with the Cup not a priority for the Rovers boss.

And Coventry were on top throughout, Chris Coleman's side deserving of their place in the last eight for the first time in 11 years.

After Keiren Westwood saved from Carlos Villanueva the home side did all of the attacking, with Ward, who headed wide, and Morrison, who lashed off target, guilty of wasting fine opportunities.

Rovers keeper Jason Brown had to be alert to save from Jordan Henderson but eventually Coventry's perseverance paid off when Best, still wearing a face mask to protect a fractured cheek bone, headed past Brown.

Allardyce made a double change after 67 minutes, with Roque Santa Cruz and Stephen Warnock replacing Keith Treacy and Villanueva.

Coventry continued to be the better team and Morrison had a shot blocked, before Blackburn's Chris Samba headed their last chance wide.

---

Coventry: Westwood, Wright, Ward, Turner, Fox, Henderson, Gunnarsson, Doyle, Eastwood (Simpson 87), Best, Morrison.
Subs Not Used: Marshall, Hall, Beuzelin, Osbourne, Thornton, Cain.

Booked: Gunnarsson, Ward, Westwood.

Goals: Best 59.

Blackburn: Brown, Simpson, Samba, Khizanishvili (Givet 81), Olsson, Villanueva (Roque Santa Cruz 68), Mokoena, Kerimoglu, Treacy (Warnock 68), McCarthy, Roberts.
Subs Not Used: Robinson, Nelsen, Pedersen, Doran.

Booked: Brown.

Att: 22,793.

Ref: Mike Riley (Yorkshire).