A goal in each half give Stratford Town victory over Nicky Eaden's Under-23 side...
City’s Under-23s exited the Birmingham Senior Cup in the second round after defeat against Stratford Town.
A youthful Sky Blues side turned out at the DCS Stadium, but goals from Edwin Ahenkorah and Richard Gregory sent them to defeat.
In what was a tight and cagey opening to the fixture, the Sky Blues had the first sight at goal through Kyle Finn. The midfielder picked up the ball 25-yards from goal and tried his luck from distance, but his effort went well over the crossbar.
Stratford responded well and soon had their first opportunity, but were denied by Corey Addai. Edwin Ahenkorah looked to have escaped the City defence, but Addai was on hand to save well down low at the striker’s feet.
The first clear chance of the evening fell the way of the Sky Blues and Kyle Spence. The forward did fantastically to evade two challenges inside the Stratford box, but from a tight angle his effort was saved well by Niall Cooper.
Stratford broke the deadlock after 29 minutes, as the dangerous Ahenkorah finished well from close range. Daniel Summerfield escaped down the right and delivered a pinpoint cross that was put in from six-yards.
The provider should have turned the goalscorer soon after, as Summerfield had a glorious chance to double the lead. He broke past the City defence but through on goal he blazed over the bar as City breathed a sigh of relief so soon after going one goal down.
The second half began in the same vain as the first 45, and it took Stratford just five minutes to double their advantage. Charlie Faulkner played the ball through to half time substitute Richard Gregory, who slid it under Addai to score a second for the home side.
The Sky Blues looked for a route back into the game and went close through skipper Devon Kelly-Evans. The attacking midfielder picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box and whipped an effort towards goal, but it went narrowly past the post.
Despite a second half City improvement, Stratford remained resolute in defence as the Sky Blues continued to come forward. Substitute Jordan Ponticelli went close to pulling a goal back, but a fantastic block inside the six-yard box denied the striker as the home side held on to claim the win.
Attendance: 131
Yellow: Camwell, Summerfield.
Teams
Coventry City: Addai (GK), Whitmore, Thompson, Ford, Camwell, Bayliss, Finn, Spence, Kelly-Evans (C), Sayoud, Smith (Ponticelli 62').
Subs: Scuza (GK), Hickman, Hendricks.
Stratford Town: Cooper (GK), Summerfield, Westwood, Fitzharris, Francis (C), Faulkner, Tulloch, Kalenda (Ormston 55'), Ahenkorah (Gregory 45'), Grocott, Evans (Jaynes 69').
Subs: Brooks, Ingram.