Goals from Ivor Lawton and James Maddison secure City's first win of the season with an impressive performance at Loftus Road...
Coventry City Under-21s secured their first win of the season with an impressive performance at Loftus Road against QPR.
Ivor Lawton put City ahead in the 35th minute and James Maddison doubled the lead after the break with a fantastic curling effort to secure the points for City.
Darren Murray's Under-21s side, captained by centre-back Jordan Clarke, made a nervy start under the lights at Loftus Road as Cole Kpekawa's header was blocked on the line and Max Ehmer's follow-up was blocked by Adam Barton.
QPR continued to threaten and ten minutes later, Brandon Comley skewed a low effort wide before Aaron Mitchell's low effort hit the post and Jordan Gibbons blazed over in the 19th minute.
The Sky Blues eased their way into game, taking the first 20 minutes of the game settling into the Loftus Road surroundings before they started creating chances.
Striker Shaun Miller twisted and turned the QPR defence before his low shot was well saved in the 22nd minute as the Sky Blues began to threaten.
James Maddison was revelling in his role and after Devon Kelly-Evans found the City striker outside the area, he turned his defender but his goal-bound effort was deflected over in the 34th minute.
One minute later, City took the lead. George Thomas knocked a right-sided cross down in the area and Ivor Lawton slotted home to give the Sky Blues the lead.
City should have doubled their lead with two quick-fires chances just after the break as first, Thomas found Miller through the middle but he fired his shot wide before Daniels fired wide from Dion Kelly-Evans' cross in the 53rd minute.
The Sky Blues continued to push forward and did double their lead thanks to the exceptional James Maddison. Thomas found the City striker through the middle before he turned inside his defender to curl the ball over the keeper from 20 yards in the 58th minute.
Having secured a two-goal lead, the City Under-21s were defensively solid for the final 20 minutes of the game and restricted QPR to few chances.
Substitute Josh Laurent and Max Ehmer both tested keeper Jake Richards in the final stages but he produced two finger-tip saves to secure the points for City.
Teams
Coventry City Under-21s: Richards (GK), Clarke (C), Barton, Harries, Di. Kelly-Evans, Dev. Kelly-Evans, Daniels, Lawton (Shipley 68), Maddison (Stevenson 90), G. Thomas, Miller.
Subs: Addai (GK), Sambou, Spence.
QPR Under-21s: Lumley (GK), Furlong, Kakay (Wise 63), Ehmer, Kpekawa (Laurent 68), Comley, Sutherland, Mitchell, Gibbons (Shodipo 82), Andrade, Grego-Cox
Subs: Hudnott, Komodikis.