City Under-21s produce a fine display to record a 3-0 win in a behind-closed-doors friendly...
Coventry City Under-21s produced a fine display to beat Brighton and Hove Albion in a behind-closed-doors friendly.
The Sky Blues cruised to a 3-0 win with first-half goals from Mathieu Manset and Adam Barton with Billy Daniels adding a third after the break.
The young side rarely looked troubled throughout the game despite fielding three trialists who all impressed during the match.
Manset slotted home the first for City when he capitalised on a long ball over the Brighton defence and the French striker finished well from the edge of the area in the 17th minute.
A Trialist could have doubled City's lead 12 minutes later when his goal-bound header from a City corner was cleared off-the-line and C Trialist had another effort blocked in the 38th minute after good work down the right from Louis Garner.
From the resulting corner, midfielder Barton delivered City's second in fine style. The corner was headed away towards the edge of the area where the former PNE man was who volleyed it into the bottom corner five minutes from the break.
The Sky Blues continued their dominance after the break with both B Trialist and C Trialist going close in the early stages of the second half.
B Trialist found space just outside the area but his low strike was palmed away, and from the resulting corner C Trialist headed narrowly wide after beating his defender at the near post.
It was obvious the young side were enjoying their football and the chances kept coming as the Brighton keeper was forced into good saves from Manset's low drive and Louis Garner's long-range effort just past the half-hour.
C Trialist went close again with 20 minutes to go when Ryan Haynes got down the left and found him on the edge of the area, but his effort hit the bar.
It was Haynes who was fouled in the area four minutes later and Daniels had the resulting penalty saved but he followed up the rebound to add a third.
Substitute Ben Maund had a late effort saved to deny a fourth but the Under-21s should be delighted with a wonderful performance in this behind-closed-doors friendly.
Coventry City: Burge (GK), Phillips, A Trialist, Willis (c), Haynes, Garner, Barton (Rankin), Daniels, B Trialist (Maddison), C Trialist, Manset (Maund)
Unused Subs: Richards (GK), Bromley.
Brighton: Smith (GK), Barry, Hunt, Richards, Trialist, Rea, Muitt, Harris, Goodwin, Starkey, Dickinson.
Subs: Walton (GK), Dean, Horncastle, Benham.