NUNEATON TOWN 1-0 COVENTRY CITY
SAT JULY 28 At Triton Showers Community Stadium, Nuneaton
City: Dunn, Pegg, Hussey, Deegan, Brown (Henderson 77), Edjenguele, Jeffers (Roberts 46), Garner, Ball (McDonald 46), Carazine (Wiseman 56), Halilli. Subs Burge, Tariq Moore-Azille
Nuneaton: 1 Ben McNamara, 2 Neil Cartwright, 3 Steve O;Halloran, 12 James Armson, 5 Gaz Dean, 15 Delroy Gordon, 13 Danny Sleath, 6 Adam Walker, 9 Kyle Perry, 7 Wes York, 18 Tom James. Subs 12 Jon Adams, 13 Neil Collett, 14 Lee Moore, 15 Gavin Cowan, 16 Ben Ford.
HT NTFC 0-0 CCFC FT NTFC 1-0 CCFC ATT 2,439 .
Referee Stuart Attwell Assts Robbie Dadley and Matt Brown
Goals Kyle Perry 55
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CITY SUPPORT: A superb turn out, more or less filling the away terace and the covered stand.
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CITY TEAM NEWS: Andy Thorn fielded a pretty much expected team.
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WEATHER: There were a few clouds around disturbing what had been a sunny start to the day.
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Pre-season may be about fitness rather than results but Coventry City losing to Nuneaton Town still do not look good what ever way you dress it up.
Andy Thorn, as expected changed the team around, giving starts to the new trialists in Bruno Cazarine and German Ndriqm Halilli as well as new loan signings Reece Brown and Callum Ball.
Playing in their yellow and blue away kit, City had to defend the first chance of the match in the second minute when son of former Sky Blue Les Cartwright sent over a cross for Chris Dunn to deal with.
Nuneaton, who used this game to launch their new home strip, were awarded a seventh minute free kick and O'Halloran headed wide from Walker's free kick before, the Conference Premier division side won a tenth minute corner, followed by another a minute later.
Halilli who justified the comments from Andy Thorn about his lack of height gave away the ball too easily and Walker wasted a good chance by firing over with only Dunn to beat.
it took fifteen minutes for City to get the ball in the Nuneaton half and when they did, it came straight back thanks to an awarding of a free kick.
Talking of free kicks, Lewis Garner conceded one in the 17th minute and this time Wes York hit the bar with a right footed hook. City then won a free kick. Up rose Callum Ball but he could only head at the keeper before Perry went wide at the other end.
The City supporters, who had taken over most of the ground, were amusing themselves witth a beach ball as Edjenquele drove low at the keeper from a corner. Again Nuneaton were quick to counter and this time, York broke but only found the side netting.
On the half hour mark, Braxilian Brun Cazarine had his first chance of the game when he got to a cross from the right from Shaun Jeffers. However, he scooped the ball wide much to the amusement of the home fans.
Young Joe Pegg, did well at right back in a defence welll organised by Reece Brown. This allowed Hussey to attack down the left in the 40th minute and cross for Cazarine to head down and Jeffers to get in a final header which McNamara just grabbed on the line.
The Sky Blues gave Cody McDonald his first outing of the season at the start of the second half when he came on with Will Roberts who replaced Shaun Jeffers.
City won a corner straight away and Cazarine fired wide and Nuneaton did the same with Walker, who had ten years with the Sky Blues before being released, going close.
In the 55th minute, Nuneaton got the goal, they had probably deserved on the balance of play when the ball came from the right and Kyle Perry swept the ball past Dunn.
Thorn sent on Jemal Wiseman for Cazarine.but in the 62nd minute, Walker sent over a free kick and Armson planted a header onto the bar and then with Nuneaton in the ascendancy. former Stratford player Tom James should have scored.
Kevin Wilkin and his assistant Micky Moore made seven changes, including bringing on former City youngster Neil Collett in goal. The changes which totalled seven for Nuneaton did not seen to affect the home side but for City, apart from Cody McDonald who tried, the Sky Blues looked more and more disjointed.
The Sky Blues did fashion a rare attack in the 74th minute. Cody McDonald got down the right and Halilli, the former Stuttgart youngster had a shot blocked.
Reece Brown limped off and was replaced by Joe Henderson as City won two corners in the 77th minute of a game which was becoming a bore and saw the City support seeking ways to entertain themselves as there was little to keep them happy on the field of play.
In fact, many were heading for the exits when Cody McDonald got through but could only find Collett's far post in the 86th minute and Halilli beat the offside trap but missed two minutes later as a very disappointing City went to another pre-season defeat.