New loan signing Jamar Loza impress for City Under-21s in valiant City defeat...
Coventry City Under-21s were defeated by Birmingham City despite a valiant performance from the young City side.
Jamar Loza started the game for City in his first involvement with the Under-21s since completing his 28-day loan deal from Premier League side Norwich City.
Birmingham fielded a strong side with Matt Green, Hayden Mullins and Scott Allan all in the starting line-up.
It was the away side who had the better of the early chances as Green failed to convert a low cross by Viv Solomon-Otaber in the 7th minute.
Blues made their early pressure tell just four minutes later when former Dundee United man Allan split the City defence and rounded Lee Burge to put Birmingham ahead.
City rallied after the goal and started to control the game with midfielders Ben Stevenson and Ryan Quinn influential in possession.
Loza and Ben Maund began to make their pressure felt, holding the ball up front and inviting others into play.
This determination brought City level in the 28th minute when Quinn found space from 25-yards out and found the top-corner with a terrific effort.
The Sky Blues could have gone ahead six minutes later from a right-sided corner, but George Thomas could only direct his header narrowly wide.
The second half saw few chances for either side but Lee Burge did well to keep City level with a terrific save to deny Reece Brown's powerful effort in the 56th minute.
Liam Truslove slid home Koby Arthur's low cross with 20 minutes to go to seal the win for Birmingham despite late chances for substitute Devon Kelly-Evans and George Thomas.
Teams
Coventry City FC: Burge (GK), Smith, Haynes (c), Finch, Urquhart, Quinn, Garner, Stevenson, Maund (Baker-Richardson), Loza (Rankin), Thomas (Kelly-Evans).
Subs: Gott (GK), Smith, Baker-Richardson.
Birmingham City FC: Townsend (GK), Higgins, Bell, Brown, Mullins, Kelly, Solomon-Otabor, Truslove, Green, Allan, Arthur.
Subs: Adams (GK), Preston, Hales, Moseley, Webb.