COVENTRY City played out an enytertaining goalless stalemate at Greene King Stadium in their third pre-season friendly against Hinckley United.

Manager Aidy Boothroyd opted for a changed starting 11 from the one that drew with Nuneaton on Wednesday, sticking with trialist 'keeper Kevin Elegaard and striker Orlando Smeekes and defenders Nathan Cameron and Richard Keogh but this time also starting Ben Turner and Chris Hussey in the back four, Aron Gunnarsson, Martin Cranie, Callum Wilson and Shaun Jeffers across the midfield with Roy O'Donovan to partner Smeekes upfront.

It was the hosts who registered the first effort of the day, Michael McGrath rattling the crossbar with a header from Andre Gray's cross.

That was as close as Hinckley got in the first half though.

Freddy Eastwood was introduced into the game on 12 minutes after Wilson was forced off with a suspected shoulder injury, Eastwood eventually partnering O'Donovan with Smeekes moving to the left wing.

O'Donovan infact troubled the back four with regularity, chasing long balls and almosty getting to one on 26 minutes only to be narrowly beaten to the ball by Hinckley 'keeper Dan Haystead.

O'Donovan had another crack three minutes after the half hour, bringing down a long ball and pulling a half volley at goal only to see his effort from 25 yards go over the bar.

Eastwood managed to get in an effort with three minutes of the first half to go, dribbling along the edge of the Hinckley area before shooting, his shot taking a deflection and finding it's way to Haystead.

Former Sky Blues midfielder Gavin Strachan then closed the half for the hosts, his free kick finding a way through the City wall but without the sting to trouble Elegaard.

If the first half proved a sparring session though, the second half unquestionably belonged to the Sky Blues.

Smeekes set the tempo with a great splitting run straight through the Hinckley back line before cutting a ball back across the area which was tapped behind for a corner.

Eastwood was the next to deliver a dangerous ball after collecting a pass out wide, dinking a pass across the six-yard area which Smeekes slid in for but could only guide just wide.

Keogh linked up well with O'Donovan on 54 minutes, chipping a ball over the top for O'Donovan who was about to pull the trigger 15 yards out when a Hinckley defender stole in to clear the ball.

Boothroyd made wholesale changes three minutes before the hour, introducing Sammy Clingan, Jermaine Grandison, Richard Wood, Michael McIndoe, Michael Doyle, Carl Baker and Gary McSheffrey.

The new boys did not wait long to get involved when McIndoe dinked a pass over the top to McShefffrey on the hour, the striker stabbing his effort just over the bar.

Hussey went close seven minutes later when he picked up a loose ball and fired from the edge of the area, his shot flashing just past the post.

Keogh and O'Donovan linked up again with 20 minutes to go, Keogh's ball taking the striker out wide to flash a shot across the six-yard area with no-one available to stab home the ball.

And Baker also nearly took some paint off the far post with an effort of his own on 74 minutes, receiving a ball on the counter attack and bending his effort the wrong side of the far post.

Team

Coventry City: Elegaard (Quirke 45), Turner (c) (Clingan 57), Cameron (Grandison 57), Hussey, Keogh, Gunnarsson (Wood 57), Cranie (McIndoe 57), Jeffers (Doyle 57), Wilson (Eastwood 12, Baker 57), Smeekes (McSheffrey 57), O'Donovan