16 May 2023 , 21:30
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Mark Robins hopes Coventry produce fireworks on the pitch after hiring extra security to avoid a return gunpowder plot affecting their preparations.
Middlesbrough’s players and boss Michael Carrick were subjected to loud fireworks at their team hotel in the small hours by cheeky home fans before Sunday’s play-off semi-final first leg at Coventry. Carrick could smile about it after the 0-0 draw when he said: “I didn’t watch them. I looked at the clock, saw it was one o’clock and shut my eyes again.”
But the loser of tonight’s delicately-poised second leg in the north east won’t get much sleep with a trip to Wembley and a potential Premier League place on the line.
Coventry travelled up Tuesday with additional security in case any Boro fans attempt a revenge stunt. But Sky Blues boss Robins shrugged off any potential disruption as he says tonight’s 8pm kick-off will give his players plenty of time to rest and relax during the day.
Robins, who said he wasn’t taking any earplugs, commented: "People taking things on themselves to do things like that is up to them. We're not that bothered about it. People do what they do and we'll just get on with it and do what we need to do.
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"You can't necessarily control everything that people do. There will be some security put on - hopefully, they'll be good security. We'll go and have a decent night's sleep. I normally sleep pretty well.
"The kick-off for us is 8pm so I think it's pointless because they'll get quite a bit of sleep during the day. We’ll do what we normally do and we'll definitely go for a wander somewhere on the day. Other than that we'll have meetings, we'll talk about things and just put final touches on stuff."
Middlesbrough and Coventry drew 0-0 in the first leg (Joe Toth/REX/Shutterstock)Wednesday's clash is the third successive game between the Championship rivals after a 1-1 draw on the final day when City clinched a top-six spot on Teesside.
But a winner will finally emerge this evening even if the outcome has to be settled on penalties, which Robins’ side have practised.
He added: "I expect us to go and give a good account of ourselves which we have done all season. We know it is a tough game. We felt that last Monday when we were up there. But we know what we need to go and do and we'll give everything we possibly can to make sure it is us who comes out on the end of a right result."