Latest signing Daniel Agyei was on the scoresheet for the visiting side but two penalties for Bradford were enough to overturn the frontman's goal...
The Sky Blues fell to a 3-1 loss at Valley Parade, as two penalties were awarded against the visitors and newcomer Jordan Turnbull was sent off.19-year old striker Agyei opened his account for his new team, putting the Sky Blues 1-0 up in the 12th minute and Tony Mowbray's side looked to be cruising for the first 45-minutes, with Kyel Reid also close to doubling the lead.
The tide turned in the second-half though, as City were forced to finished the game with 10-men after ex-Saints defender Turnbull was shown a straight red for a foul on Billy Clarke in the area. Tony Mahon converted the resulting penalty, before stepping up to take a second spot-kick just minutes later.
Vladimir Gadzhev was adjudged to have tripped Josh Cullen just inside the City technical area, and the Bradford captain was the epitome of confidence from 12-yards as he rifled the ball in to Reice Charles-Cook's top left.
The 17,000 strong Bantams fans urged their side on at 2-1 up, with the roar deafening inside Bradford's Valley Parade stadium. Ex-City boy Mark Marshall provided the biggest response to the crowd's encouragement, as he cut the ball on to his left foot and hit a fierce shot from range which nestled in the bottom corner of City's net.
The Burnley teenager quickly made his mark on the side, having been handed his first start just days after the confirmation of his loan deal. Running with power and pace, Agyei had the Bantams on the back foot from the off, and his persistence paid off in the 12th minute as Stevenson won the ball and played a wonderfully weighted pass in to the path of teenager.
Agyei muscled his way past Knight-Percival and calmly dinked the ball in to the back of the net as the onrushing Colin Doyle was left helpless. The tables had turned in the second-half though as the home side, buoyed by the support of their fans, came out of the traps the quicker.
City conceded two penalties, which were both dispatched by the Bantam's captain McMahon, before the win was consolidated by an excellent finish from Marshall to end the game 3-1 in the favour of Bradford.
Red: Turnbull
Attendance: 17,595 (570)
Teams
Coventry City: Charles-Cook, Ricketts (C) (G. Thomas 73'), Willis, Turnbull, Stevenson, Gadzhev, McCann, Di. Kelly-Evans, Page, Reid (Harries 68'), Agyei (Tudgay 61').
Subs: Burge (GK), Finch, Haynes, Lameiras.
Bradford City: Doyle (GK), Meredith, Law, Vincelot, Marshall, Clarke (Webb-Foster (90+1'), Hiwula, Cullen, Knight-Percival, Devine (Dieng 81'), McMahon (C) (Morias 81').
Subs: Sattlemaier (GK), Anderson, Rabiega.