Scunthorpe United 2-1 Coventry City
City: Burge, Willis, Mason (McCallum 76), Hyam, Sterling, Doyle (Allassani 76), Bayliss. Shipley, Thomas, Hiwula,(Clarke-Harris 46), Chaplin. Subs: Addai, Grimmer, Davies, Westbrooke.
Scunthorpe United: Alnwick. Borthwick-Jackson, McMahon, Ojo, Perch, Novak (Lewis 78), Burgess. McArdle, Sutton, Wootton, Thomas. Subs: Flatt, Webster, Van Veen, Dales, McGahey, Hammil.
Att 4,692
Goals James Perch 67, Levi Sutton 74, Conor Chaplin 78
Coventry City left it too late and were beaten 2-1 at Scunthorpe United.
Game two of 2019 and the Sky Blues went up the M1 to Lincolnshire to face Scunthorpe United with the hope that following the long term contracts signed by permant signings Conor Chaplin and Declan Drysdale, there will be a Coventry City playing next season at the Ricoh Arena.
With Liam Kelly injured, Mark Robins brought back Michael Doyle on a cold, grey January afternoon for the game against a club he had managed and one which fielded former City youngster and Wembley goalscorer George Thomas, who is still on loan with the Irons from Leicester City.
In a game where Scunthorpe, who have brought in five players since the transfer window opened, were willing to play the physical stuff, Lee Novak has the first chance with a header going very wide of the goal in front of the end which had the 900 or so City support crammed into.
Eight minutes in and City had their first corner and of the game, won by Shipley which led to another as the abuse of George Thomas continued.
McMahon fired at Burge from a George Thomas pass and Hiwula drove wide after good work from Shipley.
Luke Thomas took a knock to his left ankle early on but he carried on for a City team which looked nervy at the back and one strugglng to pass properly.
George Thomas blasted over and then took a 26th minute corner which Dominic Hyam dealt with.
Luke Thomas curled over in the 36th minute for City again in their all white kit.
Burge saved from Thomas and Wootton blasted over as Michael Doyle battled in midfield for a City team that was over-hitting cross-field ball.
Jonson Clarke-Harris replaced Jordy Hiwula at the break.
City continued to struggle to find a way through and it was Dujon Sterling, who put in another good performance, who was gaining the most.
He won a 55th minute corner which ended up back with Lee Burge and saw Chaplin win another before Luke Thomas went on a run and shot narrowly wide in the 58th minute.
Thomas won a corner for City. Both Clarke-Harris and Chaplin tried to get the ball in before it was scrambled away.
Shipley volleyed at Alnwick in the 61st minute for City who were enjoying their best spell of the game.
Wootton then headed wide with another shot flashing wide of the City goal.
In the 67th minute, City went a goal down when the ball came over to the edge of the area and James Perch hit a shot which deflected past Lee Burge and into the net.
City won a corner and Clarke-Harris cut in and curled over with Brandon Mason, who also did well, then doing well to win a corner.
Chaplin wasted a good chance much to the annoyance of some of the City support who were more riled when Levi Sutton was allowed to score with a shot with sixteen minutes to go.
City came back with a flourish in the 78th minute, when Alnwick failed to hold a shot and Conor Chaplin headed home the loose ball to make it game on.
The referee was giving City nothing apart from a booking for Bayliss who helped City win an 82nd minute corner.that was scrambled away for another which Alnwick caught.
Burge saved well from Wootton to give the home side two corners and City two corners and plenty of time for Alnwick to waste as the six minutes were added on.
Sterling won another corner for City who had not done enough to get anything from this game after giving Scunthorpe two goals.