The Under-18s deserved much better from their clash with Forest... full report here!
Coventry City Under-18s were beaten 3-1 by Nottingham Forest after a valiant display with ten men for just under 45 minutes.
Chris Camwell was sent off and Kyle Finn scored for City but it wasn't enough as the scoreline didn't reflect the whole 90 minutes.
City were dominant in the first-half and almost had the lead after ten minutes, when an excellent corner delivery from Jordan Shipley found Darragh Leahy free at the back post and he planted a firm header goalwards which forced an excellent block from a Forest defender.
Shipley was involved again and should have scored when Jack Hickman, who bombed up and down the right-wing from full-back, crossed for him but Shipley, who was well placed in the area, hit an effort along the floor which the keeper saved.
City couldn't get a goal to show for their excellent first-half endeavours and were punished just 30 seconds into the half when Camwell fouled a Forest player who was racing through one-on-one and was given a straight red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity.
Still, the Sky Blues remained on top though and got the goal their play deserved on 63 minutes. Finn, who came on for Jay Albini five minutes earlier, netted after wonderful pressing from Bassala Sambou and Shipley, and the midfielder fizzed a ball into Finn who hit an effort into the bottom left corner.
It was richly deserved, but Forest equalised immediately when Corey Addai, after making some solid saves early on, parried the ball and Kieran Hayes was able to tap in from five-yards.
City were on the back foot but continued to work tirelessly. Forest were able to capitalise on the extra man and had the second just minutes later when Ben Brereton smashed an effort in from 20-yards.
With two minutes to go, Jason Farndon's men almost got the equaliser when Hickman's cross was met by Sambou, but his header was well blocked, only for the rebound to fall to Finn who hit a delicate effort inches over the bar.
On the break though, City were caught out and Leahy fouled a Forest attacker in the area on the stroke of full-time.
Hayes stepped up to cooly convert to comdemn City to a defeat which their play certainly didn't warrant.
Academy manager Richard Stevens, who was on the touchline with 18's coach Farndon said: "I just cannot be disappointed.
"To play with ten men for so long we played with excellent character. The red card killed us in the end but we deserved more, even with ten men we created plenty, but it's all about the two penalty areas.
"We conceded two soft goals and didn't finish off our own chances.
"Results do matter of course, it's been the same over the past few weeks where we've deserved more but haven't got the result.
"I thought we were really good for most of the game, it's been an excellent exercise for them today playing with ten men for so long as they will have to do that at some point in their careers."
TEAMS
Coventry City: Addai, Hickman, Thompson, Leahy, Camwell, Albini (Finn 58), Bayliss (Smith 87), Maycock, Hendricks (Ford 49), Shipley, Sambou.
Unused subs: Ganley (GK), Mantsounga.
Nottingham Forest: Dearl, Diallo, Re, Gabriel, Nielsen, Edser, Taylor, Gamblen, Hayes, Adams, Brereton.
Unused subs: Jemson, Wilson-Rhiney, Willetts, Preston, Stewart.