City left rueing missed chances as the Robins take all three points during the League One opener...
Yaser Kasim’s 86th minute winner spoilt the opening day party as the Sky Blues fell to a 1-0 loss at the County Ground.
Marvin Sordell and George Thomas both had early chances to put City ahead in the first-half, with Sordell hitting the woodwork and Thomas skewing his effort wide of the post.
The footballing philosophy of both sides meant for a fairly evenly matched 80-minutes, before Swindon exerted some meaningful pressure in the closing stages and Kasim rounded off good build up play with a low side foot finish.
The new Sky Blues formation meant they were narrow and compact out of possession, forming a five-man defensive wall when Swindon were on the attack and limiting the home side’s opportunities from open play. Ryan Haynes and Dion Kelly-Evans provided cover in the wide areas and joined the attack when City nicked the ball.
That nearly paid dividends when Sordell picked the picket of ex-City boy Conor Thomas and released Kelly-Evans whose shot stung the gloves of Swindon’s goalkeeper Vigouroux.
The next City chance fell to 19-year old Thomas, who latched on to a Sordell through ball and accelerated towards the Swindon goal. Eating up the yards, the Welshman perhaps had too much time to make a decision and the opportunity was snuffed out by the Swindon defence.
New signing Kyel Reid made his full City debut at half-time, replacing Sordell in City’s attacking trio. Shortly after, Ruben Lameiras and Kwame Thomas (also making his debut) joined the action, in a new look front three.
With the Sky Blues finding it difficult to gain possession in the second-half, the three substitutes had little service of note, although both Lameiras and Reid showed glimmers of flair and creativity. City's Jodi Jones was also causing issues with his pace and precision when carrying the ball forward, but was halted on various occasions by a number of illegal fouls.
The Robins only substitute of the game, Jordan Young smashed an effort from distance off the City crossbar late on, before Kasim dealt the killer blow with just four minutes remaining. Reice Charles-Cook got an outstretched hand to the shot but the pace took it past City’s stopper and in to the net.
Attendance: 9,023 (1,956).
Yellow: Sordell, Hynes, Sendles-White.
Teams
Coventry City: Charles-Cook (GK), Willis, Ricketts, Harries, Kelly-Evans, Rose, Gadzhev, Haynes, Jones (Lameiras 67’), Sordell (Reid 45’), G Thomas (K. Thomas 73’).
Subs: Burge (GK), Tudgay, Finch, Stevenson.
Swindon Town: Vigouroux, Thompson, Sendles-White, C. Thomas, Barry, Kasim, Rodgers, Doughty, Brophy, Goddard (Young 64’), Obika
Subs: Henry (GK), Iandolo, Smith, Stewart, Evans, Hylton.