The Sky Blues were defeated by one goal to nil by Frank Lampard’s Derby County in their penultimate pre-season fixture before the League One campaign gets underway.
Bradley Johnson gave the Rams a 1-0 lead midway through the first half at Liberty Way after heading home an Andre Wisdom cross from close range.
A penalty was awarded for what was deemed by referee John Brooks to be a handball and Tom Lawrence stepped up for Derby, but Sky Blues saviour Liam O’Brien came to the rescue with a confident stop to his left-hand side.
The game started rather evenly with City ever so close to scoring first, the ball fell into the path of Jordan Ponticelli but Wisdom blocked well.
Johnson had another chance to head the Rams further in front, however his effort sailed over the crossbar.
It was a game of headed opportunities and this time Tom Davies got onto the end of a free-kick at the start of the second-half, yet this was straight at Jonathan Mitchell.
O’Brien’s form continued throughout as he made another sharp save from a Mason Mount strike which was destined for the bottom corner.
Goals: Johnson (31’)
Attendance: 2044
Coventry City XI: O’Brien (GK), Grimmer, Davies (McDonald [79’]), Hyam, Brown, Westbrooke, Doyle (C), Andreu (Allassani [71’]), Ponticelli (Mason [79’]), Shipley, Biamou (Clarke-Harris [71’]).
Subs: Burge (GK), Mason, McDonald, Hickman, Allassani, Camwell, Eccles, Clarke-Harris, Thompson.
Derby County First Half XI: Roos (GK), Wisdom, Keogh (C), MacDonald, Lowe, Huddlestone, Thomas, Hanson, Johnson, Bennett, Nugent.
Derby County Second Half XI: Mitchell (GK), Bogle, Pearce, Davies, Bird, Ledley, Wilson, Sibley, Mount, Lawrence, Jerome.