Checkatrade Trophy Defeat For City

Last updated : 12 September 2018 By CNS Sport
Coventry City 0-3 Arsenal U21's 
 
City:  Liam O’Brien; Dujon Sterling (Morgan Williams 57), Jordan Thompson, Tom Davies, Chris Camwell; Liam Kelly (Zain Westbrooke 72), Abu Ogogo, Reise Allassani, (Billy Stedman 87) Tony Andreu, Jordy Hiwula; Amadou Bakayoko. Subs: Corey Addai (GK), Sam McCallum, Josh Eccles, Jonny Ngandu.
 
Arsenal U21's: Iliev, Bola, Burton (Nketiah 72) Gilmour, Medley, Olowu, Pleguezuelo (Saka 88),  Smith Rowe, Willock, John-Jules, Olayinka. Subs: Okonkwo, Omole, Thompson, Zelalem, Coyle.
 
Att 2,375 (183 Arsenal)
 
Coventry City opened their Checkatrade Trophy campaign with a 3-0 home loss to Arsenal U21's.
 
Mark Robins, made eleven changes to the team that won at Oxford on Sunday and it was an U23's side versus an U21's side.
 
City were straight on the attack with a shot in the opening seconds from Bakayoko. However, in their first attack after three and a half minutes, Emile Smith-Rowe ran though and drove into the bottom corner of the net to the delight of the band of Arsenal supporters which included former Arsenal defender and England international Tony Adams.
 
Allassani fired into the side netting after a good run  before Andreu headed a free kick wide.
 
City won an 11th minute corner which was cleared for a throw. 
 
O'Brien pushed a Willock free kick around for a corner.  That was cleared and Camwell sent over a cross.
 
Davies got beaten at one end and headed wide at the other for a City side which had Bakayoko head just wide in the 31st minute.
 
Three minutes later and Bakayoko got in a shot which was pushed over for a corner.
 
Another corner followed in the 42nd minute for City who were thankful to O'Brien who made a good save with his legs just before the break.
 
Bakayoko blasted wide as the half ended.
 
Arsenal had Medley fire into the side netting from a 50th minute corner and Allassani went up the North Stand end and won City a corner which Iliev caught with ease.
 
Pleguezuelo should have been booked for a foul on 
Allassani who worked well but like most of the City side had nothing to show for his efforts.
 
The City support which included a supporter from Brighton, were less than happy with some of the tackles from the Arsenal players,
 
Zain Westbrooke replaced Kelly for City who could have been two goals down in 73rd minute when Joe Willock shot just wide and they were two goals down in the 76th minute when a mistake let substitute Eddie Nketiah who stroked the ball past O'Brien.
 
Billy Stedman came on for his first team debut but in the 89th minute, Joe Willock ran in and scored to send the City support heading for the exits and City needing to beat Forest Green Rovers and Cheltenham Town if they are to have any hope of progressing to the next round.