Zain Westbrooke’s first goal for the Sky Blues saw them past Southend on the opening day of the League One season.
The youngster’s drilled effort, early in the second half, handed City all three points to make the perfect start to their 2019/20 League One campaign.
The Sky Blues created the first opening of the game on six minutes when Westbrooke’s neat pass in-field found Liam Kelly who fired a well-shaped effort inches wide of the left-hand post from the edge of the penalty area.
Amadou Bakayoko then produced some fine hold-up play before backheeling the ball into the path of Jordy Hiwula who curled an effort over the bar from the left-hand edge of the penalty area.
The home side created another good chance on the half on the quarter of an hour mark, when Westbrooke chipped a delightful ball through to Jobello who poked his effort just past the past.
Hiwula then pounced on a loose touch in the Southend defence before running through and rounding the goalkeeper only to see his effort cleared off the line by Harry Lennon.
On the stroke of half time, Marko Marosi’s long punt up-field was flicked on by Bakayoko into the path of Hiwula but the striker was just beaten to the ball by United stopper Mark Oxley.
Despite the Sky Blues having the better of the first half, with the visitors failing to register a shot on goal, the two sides went in level at the interval.
Southend finally managed their first attempt of the game in the opening exchanges of the second period, with Theo Robinson blazing an effort several yards wide.
The deadlock was broken on 51 minutes after some tidy footwork from Brandon Mason down the left-hand side who then found Hiwula who dribbled in-field before teeing up Westbrooke who drilled an effort into the bottom left corner from 20 yards out.
Minutes later a super ball into the box from Jordan Shipley, just missing the head of Hiwula, created a game of pin ball inside the Southend six-yard box with Oxley making a save from close range before Hiwula saw his follow-up effort cleared off the line.
The ball eventually broke to Westbrooke who struck an effort from outside of the area over the crossbar.
A short corner, with 12 minutes remaining, handed the visitors their first opening of the match when Joe Shaughnessy headed well wide from eight yards out.
Shortly after, Josh Eccles was handed his football league debut, replacing Shipley in the middle of the park.
Marosi then produced a magnificent fingertip with three minutes left to play to deny Nathan Ralph’s headed effort from a left-wing corner to keep City ahead.
The Shrimpers hit the woodwork in the final minute of normal time when Stephen Humphrys headed against the crossbar from a set-piece.
The Sky Blues deservedly held on however, to get the new season up and running with a victory ahead of a trip to Bolton Wanderers next week.
Goals: Westbrooke 51’
Yellows: Kelly 88’, Lennon 90'
Attendance: 6,534
Sky Blues XI: Marko Marosi (GK), Fankaty Dabo, Kyle McFadzean, Michael Rose, Brandon Mason, Liam Kelly (C), Zain Westbrooke, Jordan Shipley (79’ Eccles), Wesley Jobello, Amadou Bakayoko, Jordy Hiwula.
Unused Subs: Ben Wilson, Dom Hyam, Josh Pask, William Bapaga, Jack Burroughs, Max Biamou.
Southend United XI: Mark Oxley (GK), Elvis Bwomono, Joe Shaughnessy, Harry Lennon, Nathan Ralph, Sam Mantom, Mark Milligan, Luke Hyam, Stephen McLaughlin, Theo Robinson, Brandon Goodship.
Subs: Nathan Bishop (GK), John White, Andre Blackman, Isaac Hutchinson, Charlie Kelman, Simon Cox, Stephen Humphrys.