Mark Robins was “pleased” to see Jodi Jones return for the Sky Blues after more than 12 months out with injury in their Leasing.com Trophy defeat to MK Dons.
Jones came on for the remaining 15 minutes against MK Dons which Robins believes is a big psychological barrier for the winger to overcome.
Robins said: “I’m pleased for Jodi because he’s worked really hard. I’m sure having spoken to him for the last 45 minutes he’s told you that.
“It’s really difficult to come back from one, never mind two really bad injuries. He’ll be stronger mentally for it.
“You’ll have seen that he’s a bit more talkative now than he has been in the past and that’ll bode well for him because his personality is starting to flourish.
“Once we can get him back and get him closer to the 90 minutes, happy days. Getting over that psychological barrier of the first 15 minutes was massive and he even took a whack which was a disgrace.”
The gaffer believes the Sky Blues ran out of legs in the second half having returned to action so soon after their draw with Ipswich Town on Sunday.
“First half we were good and then second half the work in the first half caught up with us and then we ran out of legs.
“We created a lot of good chances, but two set plays really have got us.
“It’s a shank which has gone wide and they’ve just put it back in the middle, but the disappointment is we’ve not got close enough to Agard.
“And then the second goal they got inside Brandon Mason’s line and Joe Mason has finished well from a narrow angle but it’s disappointing from our perspective from 1-0 down we’ve had a good opportunity to score and we haven’t pulled the trigger and that’s the frustrating thing.
“You can accept mistakes but don’t turn down the opportunity to shoot because if you do you’re never going to score and that what happened tonight.
“Callum obviously makes a big difference to us and bringing him off wasn’t ideal, but I had no choice.
“Then playing the game on a Tuesday night instead of later on snookered us a little bit and then they go full hit and they’re desperate for a win.
“They hadn’t won under the new management prior to tonight and you knew they would do that when they didn’t move the game to the Wednesday, so I can feel a little aggrieved by that.
“Having said that, if it gives us an extra day with Ipswich playing tomorrow night, so they’ll probably make wholesale changes it but it’s needs must, and we have to recover well.”
However, Robins was happy to have handed minutes to several players returning from injury.
“We’ve got minutes into people’s legs that haven’t played so they’re closer to it and that was an important thing.
“It looked like people needed the game, certainly Jordy Hiwula which was his first game in a long time and also for Jodi as well, fifteen minutes into his legs which is important for him and a psychological barrier overcome for him.”
Robins also praised striker Amadou Bakayoko for his work rate despite failing to find the net.
“Baka worked hard again, if you keep putting pressure on him to deliver goals it isn’t going to happen.
“He’s got to keep working and if he wants to be a focal point, he’s still young. If he keeps working hard the chances will fall and he has to take them.
“He’s not a natural finisher and that counts against him at times. Other times he looks unbelievable. The two goals he scored against Peterborough and Fleetwood back-to-back were outstanding goals.
“He’s not a natural goal scorer but he’s got to try and develop and not shy away from anything and he’s got broad enough shoulders for that.”