The Sky Blues fail to score at the Grove against Halesowen Town as Ben Haseley's second-half strike denied a young City side...
A young Coventry City side were knocked out of the Birmingham Senior Cup thanks to a narrow away defeat at Halesowen Town.
In an even contest with few chances for either side, Yeltz striker Ben Haseley tapped home from close range in the second-half to win the game.
The Sky Blues named eight Under-18s players in the starting line-up with midfielders Adam Barton and Billy Daniels adding experience to the side as well as right wing-back Aaron Phillips.
City started well with the pace of Jay Albini causing the Halesowen defence problems and with just five minutes gone, he almost capitalised as the ball bounced over the keeper Haydn Whitcombe but defender Aaron Griffiths cleared the ball well under pressure.
Just a minute later, the home side almost took the lead. Former Coventry City striker Iyseden Christie was found on the edge of the area and his powerful effort crashed off the bar.
Christie had another chance with a quarter of an hour gone as he broke through the City defence but he placed his shot well wide and City began to grow into the game.
Adam Barton began to wield his influence in midfield as he found Aaron Phillips on the right with a fantastic cross-field ball and after crossing for Dion Kelly-Evans, the wing-back had his shot blocked in the 29th minute.
With an Under-21s game against Crystal Palace at the Ricoh Arena tomorrow (Wednesday), Dion Kelly-Evans was taken off at half-time for Bassala Sambou and Aaron Phillips came off in the 57th minute for Jacob Whitmore.
City's best chance of the game came in the 55th minute when Barton found space on the edge of the area, turned two Yeltz defenders but his goalbound effort was blocked.
Six minutes later, the home side went ahead when Christie found Haseley with a through-ball, and despite the linesman appearing to flag for offside, the Yeltz striker slotted home past Jake Richards.
The young City side pushed forward in the final 15 minutes of the game as Sambou headed a Jordan Shipley cross narrowly over and Devon Kelly-Evans' last-minute free-kick was almost turned in by substitute Kyle Spence.
Teams
Coventry City: Richards (GK), Phillips (C) (Whitmore 58), Di. Kelly-Evans (Sambou 46), Bromley, Maycock, Barnett, Daniels, Barton, Albini, Shipley (Spence 85), Dev. Kelly-Evans.
Subs not used: Addai (GK), Harries.
Halesowen Town: Whitcombe (GK), Green, Griffiths, Forde (Bragoli), Hull (C), Tilt (Tonks), Robinson, Thompson-Brown, Christie, Haseley, Lait.
Subs: Turner, Charlton, Sargeant.
Attendance: 252