City U23's Lose At QPR

Last updated : 09 October 2017 By CNS Sport

Coventry City U23's were beaten 1-0 at Queens Park Rangers this afternoon.

Loftus Road was the setting for City U23's first game following the departure of coach Nicky Eaden to Chesterfield and saw City going into the game top of the U23's League 2 Southern section table with the West Londoners in second place.

City, playing in all sky blue, were able to field a strong team with a debut for Tom Davies in defence and Kwame Thomas and Jordan Ponticelli up front against a side managed by former City forward Paul Hall and one vwhich included Grant Hall and Steven Caulker.

The opening fifteen minutes were tight with an Oteh shot curling wide and Dieng saving in the 17th minute from Jordan Shipley and then grabbing as Jordan Ponticelli came in.

Chris Camwell, who had a fine game for City's first team at Walsall a week ago was the first player booked in a first half which had more free kicks than chances.

Addai made a good save and Hyam cleared to concede a 31st minute corner..

In the 36h minute,  City went a goal down when Kakay sent over a cross which Addai could only spill into the path of Shodipo who stroked it into the empty net.

With two minutes of the half left, Stevenson picked out Ponticelli who got in a cross which had to be headed away for a corner.

QPR made two changes at the break taking off Hall and Fox  and were prevented from going two goals up when Tom Davies cleared a Kakay effort off the line in the 55th minute.

Camwell got in a cracking cross which Caulker played onto his own post for a corner that both Davies and Ponticelli could only send wide.

That cross was the last action for Camwell who was replaced by Ryan Haynes, who has been out since injuring his knee during City's first pre-season game at Sutton United on the hour mark.

Tom Bayliss also came on, replacing Jordan Shipley, for a City side which had Tom Davies, who played well,  making another clearance.

City, who have scored at least one goal in their previous seven games,,  continued to play the ball around well but were unable to make any real in-roads on Dieng's goal.

Bilal Sayoud replaced the hard working Ben Stevenson for the last fifteen minutes of a game which continued to be played in the middle third of the pitch.

Dion Kelly-Evans fired over, following good work from Callum Maycock in the 78th minute as City pushed forward looking to get something from this game, which saw QPR down to ten men when Danny Rowe limped off injured.

Tilt was booked for kicking the ball away before Bayliss curled a shot just over the bar.

Maycock fired at Dieng and Kelly-Evans sent over a cross which just missed Sayoud.

Ian Holloway got a ticking off by the referee for his language and Oteh limped off leaving the home side down to nine men but for the first time this season, City could not find a goal and went down to a 1-0 defeat which sees them off the top of the table.

City: Addai, Camwell, (Haynes 60), Davies. Hyam, Dion Kelly-Evans, Shipley (Bayliss 60) , Maycock, Finn, Stevenson (Sayoud 75), Thomas, Ponticelli. Subs: Hickman,. Ford,.

QPR: Dieng; Kakay, Caulker, Hall (Phillips 46), Fox (Stylianidies 46); Tilt, Goss, Borysiuk, Shodipo; (Darbyshire 65),  Rowe; Oteh. Subs:  Herdman,