The Sky Blues were held to a goalless draw against Forest Green Rovers in Group D of the Leasing.com Trophy at the New Lawn.
The scoreline meant the game went to a penalty shoot-out which the hosts won 8-7, with Kyle McFadzean missing the decisive penalty.
The first shot of the game fell to the hosts and it was James Morton who tried his luck from distance, but his effort sailed over the head of Ben Wilson and the crossbar.
City fashioned their first opportunity moments later and it was a throw in down the right which fell at the feet of Josh Eccles and his cross was a good one as he picked out Amadou Bakayoko, but the strikers header went wide.
The striker was involved again in the Sky Blues next chance, when some great work by Will Bapaga on his first start saw the youngster find Baka in the box, but he was denied by a good stop by Joe Wollacott.
Forest Green 16-year-old, Vaughn Covil had his first shot of the evening, but it was a comfortable save for Wilson.
The hosts had another attempt on goal minute later when Aaron Collins got a shot away from just inside of the box, but he dragged his effort well wide.
HALF-TIME: FOREST GREEN ROVERS 0-0 SKY BLUES
The best chance of the game fell minutes into the second half and it was Baka who continued to look dangerous and he was on the end of a Tennai Watson ball into the box, but he was denied by a super save from Wollacott.
First shot of the second half for the hosts fell to Collins, but his effort was never troubling Wilson and went over the bar.
Ben Wilson’s distribution helped created City’s next chance, when he found McCallum with a pinpoint pass deep into Rovers half and then the left back found Bapaga in the box, but his header went over.
The Sky Blues continued to apply the pressure and they went agonisingly close when Bapaga slid through McCallum and his ball across the face of goal was inches from seeing Bakayoko on the end of it.
City were denied twice by Wollacott in the space of a thirty seconds when first he saved well form a Zain Westbrooke shot from distance and then he saved again from a close range to deny Bakayoko.
Mark Robins looked to find a winner and introduced Callum O’Hare and he made an immediate impact forcing Wollacott into a good save down to his left.
Minutes later Westbrooke spotted a good run from Kastaneer, but he fired his shot into the side netting.
That would be the final chance of the game as the two sides headed to a penalty shoot-out to see who would earn a bonus point.
Penalties – Forest Green Rovers 8-7 Sky Blues.
Sky Blues: Godden (Scored), Westbrooke (Scored), O’Hare (Scored), Kelly (Missed), Rose (Scored), Watson (Scored), Eccles (Scored), McCallum (Scored), McFadzean (Missed).
Forest Green: Stevens (Scored), Morton (Scored), Adams (Missed), Bernard (Scored), Mondal (Scored), Allen (Scored), Covil (Scored), McGinley (Scored), Godwin-Malife (Scored).
Goals:
Yellows: Bakayoko 28’, McFadzean 70’
Reds:
Attendance: 920 (340 Coventry supporters)
Forest Green Rovers Xl: Joe Wollacott (GK), Liam Shephard © (18’ Bernard), Dayle Grubb (5’ Kitching), Aaron Collins (62’ Collins), Taylor Allen, Ebou Adams, James Morton, Nathan McGinley, Udoka Godwin-Malife, Junior Monal, Vaughn Covil.
Unused subs: Lewis Thomas, Carl Winchester, Dan Jones.
Sky Blues Xl: Ben Wilson (GK), Tennai Watson, Kyle McFadzean, Michael Rose, Sam McCallum, Josh Eccles, Liam Kelly, Zain Westbrooke, Charlie Wakefield (34’ Kastaneer), Will Bapaga (79’ O’Hare), Amadou Bakayoko (69’ Godden).
Unused subs: Marko Marosi, Fankaty Dabo, Dom Hyam, Liam Walsh.