The Sky Blues were left to share the points against Watford yesterday afternoon at the Alan Higgs Centre.
City faced the Hornets in a top of the table clash, but after taking the lead through Gervane Kastaneer midway through the first half, Watford levelled with five minutes remaining.
The draw means the Sky Blues still sit two points behind them in the table, with a game in hand, and reflecting on the result after the final whistle, Under 23s Head Coach Luke Tisdale spoke of his disappointment at the late goal.
He said: “We’re disappointed to not come away with three points after defending as well as we did for 85 minutes to then concede a rebound right at the end, but we have to take the positives from it and kick on.
“We defended and we got into really good areas on the counter attack and didn’t make the most of it but we will review it and go over it and that’s part of a young players learning of trying to work out what went wrong and how we correct it and learn from it.
“It’s not a defeat, it’s a game where we’ve created chances so it’s a positive and we will build on that, but there is still a lot to learn as there always is with the 23s.”
Gervane Kastaneer played 45 minutes for the Under 23s, as he continues to build his minutes up, as he looks to fight for a place in the first team starting eleven.
The winger took his goal well and was one of several first team players involved, something Tisdale revealed is important to help Mark Robins.
“It was a nicely worked goal and we spoke before the game about how open and expansive Watford were and we felt we had the pace in wide areas to hurt them in the transition.
“It was really good play from Tennai Watson and then Jack Burroughs who puts it on a plate for Gervane and he has to finish it and he did and it’s nice for him to get the goal and hopefully that lifts his confidence again.
“It does all the players good because it keeps their match minutes up and they need to be ready for when the manager needs them and that’s the other side of under 23s football.
“It’s our job as coaches and staff is to try and facilitate whatever we can do to help the first team and everything we do during our week is geared up to help the first team.”
Amongst the first team players involved yesterday, there were a majority of development players who started the game.
Luke told how he has spoken with the group and told them it will be the hardest year to break into the first team, but one his players should relish.
“There’s a lot of young players bubbling away quite nicely and we’ve spoken a lot with the group this year about being patient because it is going to be the hardest year to break into the first team because of the quality the first team have brought in and how well they’re playing.
“So, we talk a lot about matching the standards the work rate and the way we try and play and to be fair they do that every single week and we’re always chasing the first team.”