The Sky Blues Under-23s slipped to their first defeat of 2020 against Ipswich Town at the Alan Higgs Centre.
A brace for Ben Morris and one for Zak Brown gave the Tractor Boys all three points in Professional Development League actually action.
The first opportunity of the game fell to the visitors and it was first team player, Dobra who took a touch on the edge and got a shot away, but he dragged his shot wide.
City thought they’d opened the scoring through Charlie Wakefield after Jodi Jones had spotted the run of the winger, but was adjudged to have been offside by the linesman.
An attack down the left saw Ipswich create their second opening through Tom Hughes as he looked to bend the ball into far corner from the edge of the area, but he couldn’t find the target.
There was confusion on 29 minutes when the referee seemed to award a penalty for the Tractor Boys after Zak Brown went down in the area, but he then looked to have changed his mind and instead awarded a drop ball for the Sky Blues.
However Ipswich did take the lead and it was Zak Brown who poked home from inside the area, finding the top corner and beating Billson.
A few minutes later, Billson was called into action and produced a good stop diving low to his right to deny Ben Morris who’s shot from outside of the area looked threatening.
From the resulting corner Barry Cotter rose highest and won his header, but he couldn’t steer his header towards goal and it rolled past the post.
Again the Sky Blues had to call upon Billson and this time it was to deny Brett McGavin’s free-kick and then on the the follow up he denied Liam Gibbs and the ball went behind for a corner.
It was a similar set-piece from earlier as it was Cotter again, this time with a volley from just within the penalty area, but once again Billson made a superb stop to keep the scores at 1-0.
After the break it was the Sky Blues who started on the front foot and they almost had a leveller through Jordan Young when he curled a shot towards goal but Adam Pryzbek saved well.
City continued to press and after Joe Newton was brought down outside the box, Jodi Jones stepped up to take the free-kick and picked out Jordon Thompson at the back post, but he headed wide.
However, despite all of City’s dominance in the second half it was Ipswich who countered to double their lead in the 63rd minute through captain Ben Morris.
And the Ipswich captain grabbed his second of the game minutes later as he was on the end of a cutback from the byline and slotted past Billson.
Ipswich’s McGavin, who troubled from a free-kick in the first half forced Billson to produce a great save from a dead ball effort 20 yards from goal.
The woodwork helped keep the scores at 3-0 as Tom Hughes saw his shot rattle back off the post with 75 minutes on the clock.
Moments later, Jodi Jones went close from 25 yards out, but his free-kick went inches wide.
City almost had their first goal when Jack Burroughs ball was almost turned into his own net by Conor O’Reilly and then from the rebound Will Bapaga’s shot was smashed into the side netting.
That would prove to the last chance of the game as the Sky Blues fell to defeat against Ipswich.
Sky Blues Xl: Tom Billson (GK), Joe Newton, Jordon Thompson, Morgan Williams (C), Jack Burroughs, Josh Eccles, Jonny Ngandu, Jordan Young, Charlie Wakefield, Jodi Jones, Gervane Kastaneer (Bapaga 65').
Subs: Keelan Fallows (GK), Joe Nightingale, Matthew Harland, Will Bapaga, Bouwe Bosma.