The Sky Blues lost to an experienced Ipswich Town side but Stevens believes it will eventually get the best out of the players...
Coventry City Academy manager Richard Stevens believes the Under-21s will learn from their 3-0 defeat against Ipswich Town.
Stevens was in charge of the 21s side as Jamie Clapham and Tony Mowbray prepare the side for the first-team's game against Crewe tomorrow evening.
The Sky Blues found themselves 3-0 down in the first-half against the Tractor Boys who had an experienced 21s outfit.
But Stevens believes that despite the experience gulf between the two sides, the team should have used the ball better and demanded the ball more to get City playing in tight spaces.
Stevens said: "The first-half was really about who was more clinical.
"They had three chances and took theirs, we missed our best chance at 1-0.
"We made it more solid in the second-half but the damage had been done. We had a better control of the game didn't create anywhere near enough in the final third.
"It was a real learning curve for some of our younger players, they came up against an experienced 21s side today, some of whom have Championship experience.
"Irrespective of experience, age and physicality, there are certain things the team has to do better. We have to brave enough to take the ball and pass it.
"So we can't be too hard on the team after a defeat but we'll go over what went wrong and I'm sure each of them will learn from it."