Cotterill salutes City support

Steve Cotterill is expecting an enticing JPT southern final after Bristol City's 2-0 win over an enterprising Coventry side.

The manager fielded a virtual first-choice team for the area semi-final and saw headed goals from Derrick Williams and Aaron Wilbraham see off the Sky Blues. The crowd of just over 5,000 included more than 800 travelling fans, but Cotterill expects that gate to be doubled, irrespective of whether his League One leaders are at home in the first or second leg against Gillingham. Cotterill said: "The competition is very important to us and it will really take off now as far as our supporters are concerned. "I am not one to get too excited about things, but we are two games from Wembley and our ground will be ringing to the rafters when Gillingham come here. "Coventry bossed the first 20 minutes. But once we got to grips with them tucking in their wide men and effectively making it five against three in midfield I thought we did really well. "We didn't get as many crosses in as I like, but two of them counted and the lads have again worked extremely hard for their win. "There were no injuries and there will be the best part of 13,000 people here on Saturday to cheer them on against Crawley, which should make up for any tired legs." Williams gave the hosts a 30th-minute lead, rising to head home Luke Freeman's free-kick from the right after Reda Johnson had been cautioned for bringing down Mark Little. Wilbraham made sure of victory with his 13th goal of the season, heading in another Freeman cross 15 minutes from time. Coventry had a strong penalty claim on 34 minutes when Luke Ayling went to ground to challenge Josh McQuoid inside the box, but referee Stephen Martin waved it aside. That incensed visiting boss Stephen Pressley, who said: "I spoke to the referee afterwards. It looked a stonewall penalty from where I was, but he felt the defender got a touch on the ball. "It appeared a two-footed challenge and it was a big decision that went against us. I was disappointed with the result, but not the performance because I felt we dominated for long periods. "The difference was in the last third of the pitch. We have to work on our final pass and be more ruthless. "We knew Bristol scored most of their goals from crosses and a lot from set-pieces, so the players were warned. They are a big side and dangerous in the air. "But we tried a new formation and can take a lot of positives from the game."