Sky Blues fall to friendly defeat to the Red Dragons at the Racecourse Ground
Coventry City slumped to a 4-1 pre-season friendly defeat at the Racecourse Ground with hosts Wrexham netting two goals in each half
Former City academy striker Robert Ogleby converted a one-on-one with City 'keeper Joe Murphy after being flagged offside only for the referee to overrule and Neil Ashton then converted from the spot after John Hunt was brought down in the area by Jordan Clarke to make it 2-0 at the half.
Brett Ormerod and John Hunt added two more afetr the break with City trialist Bruno Cazarine grabbing a consolation for City late on.
City boss Andy Thorn made wholesale changes to his side after Saturday's 1-0 friendly defeat to Nuneaton, retaining just three of the faces that started at Liberty Way at the weekend.
William Edjenguele, Reece Brown and Callum Ball all remained in a starting line up which had more of a senior feel about it.
Murphy returned between the sticks as did centre half Kevin Malaga and Clarke.
A completely revamped midfield saw Kevin Kilbane playing an anchor role in a five-man midfield which included Gary McSheffrey, Conor Thomas, Carl Baker and John Fleck with Ball playing a lone role up front.
The Sky Blues did show early signs of making a breakthrough with Ball chasing down the long deliveries and Clarke linking well with Baker to send a series of dangerous looking crosses into the box.
It was Wrexham who had the clearest opportunity to open the scoring after 22 minutes though when Declan Walker got to the byline to cut back for Ogleby who tried to fire inside Murphy's near post only to be foiled by a stunning low save by the 'keeper.
The hosts took the lead in controversial circumstances though on 28 minutes when Ogleby ran on to a pass and was flagged offside by the linesman only to play on and tuck the ball past Murphy.
With the Sky Blues expecting a free kick referee Brian Markham-Jones signalled for the goal, sparking angry protests from the City bench.
No sooner had City fallen a goal behind they found themselves two behind when Jordan Clarke brought John Hunt down in the area just after the half hour, Neil Ashton converting calmly from the spot.
McSheffrey had an opportunity to claw one back for City a minute later finding himself through on goal but steering his attempted finish wide.
Murphy was required again on 34 minutes when a whipped in cross from Mark Creighton found Ogleby at the back post who connected to steer the ball goalwards only for Murphy to push it off his line and away.
McSheffrey then forced a quick reaction save out of Wrexham 'keeper Joslain Mayebi when he rushed at the near post to connect with a cross from Ball, Mayebi palming the ball away from inside his near post.
Wrexham almost then grabbed a third goal two minutes before the break when Brett Ormerod got around the outside of Edjenguele and pulled a low shot across Murphy, beating the 'keeper but not the far post.
City boss Thorn repeated a weekend substitute at half time, bringing on Cody McDonald to replace Ball.
McDonald nearly got on the scoresheet within seconds of the second half kicking off, racing onto a through ball and trying to take the ball around the sprawling Mayebi who managed to pick the ball off McDonald's foot.
Wrexham got a third though ten minutes into the second half when Brett Ormerod bundled his way past Reece Brown and dinked a short ball to Keates who was left with an easy finish past Murphy.
It was four with 19 minutes to go as Hunt, who won Wrexham their penalty in the first half, found himself unmarked in the area to fire past Murphy from ten yards out.
The Sky Blues grabbed a consolation with effectively the last kick of the game though when good work from on-the-hour substitute Chris Hussey got the full-back to the byline, allowing him to cut back for fellow sub Cazarine who fired home from close range.
Attendance: 907
Teams
Coventry City: Murphy, Clarke, Edjenguele (Hussey 61), Thomas, Brown, Malaga, Kilbane, Baker, Ball (McDonald 45), Fleck (Cazarine 63), McSheffrey (Roberts 57)
Subs: Dunn (GK), Deegan
Wrexham: Mayebi (Coughlin 76), Walker, Ashton, Creighton, Harris (Colbeck 68), Wright (Cieslewicz 76), Ormerod (Hackney 71), Keates, Ogleby (Rushton 83), Hunt (Clarke 78), Westwood
Subs: Riley, Wright