Sky Blues cruise to friendly win over Nuneaton at Liberty Way
Coventry City got their pre-season friendly schedule off to an encouraging start with a 4-1 win over Nuneaton Town at Liberty Way.
The Sky Blues overcame the disappointment of an early goal from the hosts to go into half time at 1-1 before netting three second half goals to see the game out.
Louis Moult handed the hosts the lead after six minutes but Callum Wilson made it all square with a tidy strike eight minutes later.
The Sky Blues found themselves a goal down after six minutes thanks to a piece of opportunism by Nuneaton striker Louis Moult.
A misplaced pass from Baker in the City third was intercepted by the striker who rounded Joe Murphy and then had his initial finish blocked by Jordan Clarke only to make no mistake second time around.
The lead was shortlived though as the Sky Blues capitalised on a similar defensive error to level the game after 14 minutes.
Theo Streete took too long dealing with a through ball and was caught in possession by Callum Wilson who stole the ball and applied a cool finish past Lawrie Walker to make it 1-1.
It was nearly 2-1 to City five minutes later when Ben Maund tried his luck from 20 yards only to see his effort slowly rise over the crossbar.
It was 34 minutes before the next real effort at goal came for either side, but again it was City who started to make their dominance of possession tell.
Eli Bako was brought down just outside the Nuneaton area, with Baker stepping up to bend an effort just around the foot of the post.
The half time break brought about planned wholesale changes for the Sky Blues as boss Pressley made nine changes for the second 45 minutes.
The fresh legs almost made the difference just three minutes after the restart when Franck Moussa played a through ball to Leon Clarke who shrugged off his marker and returned a pass to Moussa whose effort was blocked on the line by Theo Streete.
City were infront after 53 minutes though when Cyrus Christie broke down the right and floated in a cross for Leon Clarke who rose above all else in the box to guide a header just inside the foot of the post and past Walker.
City nearly grabbed a third on the hour after more good work from Christie to get to the byline and cut a ball back into the six-yard box which was cleared behind by Delroy Gordon but almost put into his own net.
Billy Daniels also had anopportunity to add to City's tally with 13 minutes to go, stepping up to take a free kick from 20 yards which foced Walker into a save to tip the ball around his post.
Daniels went just as close three minutes later when a slick passage of passing from City ended with Daniels having possession on the edge of the area and lifting an effort fractionally over the bar.
City got the third their play deserved though after 84 minutes when Franck Moussa was brought down in the area by Danny Andrew.
Leon Clarke then casually tucked away the resulyting penalty for his second of the day.
No sooner had the Sky Blues built up a comfortable two-goal cushion, they then got a fourth courtesy of Franck Moussa.
The Belgian midfielder latched onto a through ball after good link up play between Clarke and Louis Garner and dinked a finish past Walker just seconds after Clarke's penalty.
First Half Team
Murphy, Phillips, Finch, J Clarke, Adams, Fleck, Barton, Baker, Bako, Maund, Wilson
Second Half Team
Burge, Christie, Haynes, Finch, J Clarke, Daniels, Moussa, Garner, Thomas, Lobjoit, L Clarke