COVENTRY City kicked off their first pre-season game on UK soil with a goalless stalemate against Nuneaton Town at Liberty Way.
While Aidy Boothroyd's side concentrated their efforts on patient build up and good link up play, Nuneaton were limited to few skirmishes into the Sky Blues' half, a corner kick posing the only threat to Coventry's goal.
Coventry City welcomed a trialist goalkeeper to the starting fold, 27-year-old Danish shotstopper Kevin Elegaarde taking up position between the sticks behind a back four of centre halves Richard Wood and Jermaine Grandison and new full-backs Richard Keogh and StephenO'Halloran.
Sammy Clingan reprised his regular central midfield role alongside Michael Doyle, flanked by Michael McIndoe and Carl Baker, supplying an upfront partnership of Gary McSheffrey and Donovan Smeekes.
Keogh wasted no time in getting stuck in, taking a ball on the touchline and dribbling his way into the penalty area only to be disposessed at the final moment.
A minute later trialist Smeekes beat his man on the opposite flank, this time getting to the byline to whip in a low cross which the Nuneaton 'keeper was equal to.
Smeekes very nearly opened the scoring for City on 14 minutes when Keogh curled in a low cross, Smeekes stealing a yard on his marker to toe an effort which went around the outside of the post.
Doyle also very nearly provided the ammunition for the Sky Blues to score the first of the afternoon, receiving a ball from McIndoe before floating in a delivery toward Baker at the far post only for a Nuneaton Town defender to scramble back and head behind for a corner.
City maintained their domination in the second half and almost went ahead eight minutes after the restart when McSheffrey's shot from 12 yards was spilled by the Nuneaton goalkeeper, the ball trickling behind for a corner.
Baker also went close three minutes before the hour mark when a deep corner by Clingan was headed back towards goal by Wood, with Baker on hand to swing a foot at the ball and have his shot blocked for another corner.
The hour mark signalled changes for City as manager Boothroyd made nine changes to his side, just leaving on trialists Smeekes and 'keeper Elegaard.
Substitute Shaun Jeffers then wasted no time in getting involved down the right, eventually managing to curl an effort at goal with nine minutes to go.
Fellow replacement Roy O'Donovan then showed his first touch in the area, trapping a long ball before turning his marker and shooting only for a tracking defender to get his foot infront of the goalbound effort.
Team
Coventry City: Elegaarde, Wood (c) (Gunnarsson 60), Grandison (Clarke 60), Keogh (Hussey 60), O'Halloran (Cameron 60), Clingan (Turner 60), Doyle (Cranie 60), Baker (Wilson 60), McIndoe (Jeffers 60), McSheffrey (O'Donovan 60), Smeekes
