Coleman's Coventry side comfortably saw off Football League new boys Aldershot 3-1 with Robbie Simpson scoring twice and Clinton Morrison opening his account for his new club.

A delighted Coleman said: "We had nearly 10,000 in the ground and that was on the back of a big crowd for the game against Norwich at the weekend.

"Our fans have dipped their hands in their pockets twice in a week and the reward is a massive draw against Newcastle.

"I had two good years under Kevin at Fulham. He signed me from Blackburn and in our first season we lost in the play-offs and then won the league the year after by a country mile."

The visitors settled the better of the two sides and could well have taken the lead as early as the third minute.

John Grant was played through deep inside the Coventry half and raced away from the home defence who were attempting to play the offside trap.

Teenage keeper Danny Ireland came charging off his line and must have been relieved when Ben Turner recovered his ground and head the ball over and out for a corner.

At the other end, Freddy Eastwood was looking far more industrious than he had on his debut against Norwich.

He had a glimpse of goal in the 10th minute when Clinton Morrison set him up, but his shot bounced up and over the bar.

The former Southend striker then tested Nikki Hilton in the Aldershot goal and he did well to push a shot round a post.

Aron Gunnarsson was booked in the 21st minute for a foul on Marvin Morgan as he broke threateningly through midfield.

When Coventry took the lead in the 31st minute it was against the run of play. Again Eastwood was the architect when he twisted and turned to find space before finding Clinton Morrison who merely had to side foot the ball home.

But the lead was short lived. Aldershot came straight back and were rewarded when a curling free kick from Scott Donnelly struck Morgan and deflected in past the helpless Ireland.

Coventry looked far sharper from the restart and Eastwood could have opened his account when he fired a fierce shot over the bar.

They made that count in the 58th minute when Robbie Simpson reacted first inside a crowded penalty area and drove the ball between Bull and his near post.

That was effectively the end of Aldershot and Simpson made certain with a third goal in the 65th minute after more unselfish work from Eastwood who fed him on the right rather than shoot himself.