Sky Blues boss Mark Robins was pleased with what he saw from his side in their first outing against Rangers yesterday evening.
City had gone over four months without a fixture before yesterday’s game with Rangers, having last faced Ipswich Town back in March.
“I’m happy, everyone got through it injury free and it was a good work out after 140 days without playing and to get the first game under our belts at a brilliant stadium on a great pitch, great surface and against a top team, who are about five weeks ahead of us.
“We created some decent chances both in the first and second half and I thought we more than held our own in the first half and could’ve got a goal.
“There were some decent performances and it gave us an idea of what it will be like in the Championship.
“I know these are a Scottish Premiership side playing in the Europa League but clearly they have attributes which some of the teams in the championship will have, so we got a bit out of it.
“There’s a lot of things to be excited about for us, it’s a good start and now we need to show we can get that fitness into our legs and then the sharpness will come later on, but I thought we looked alright.”
Robins made nine changes at half time and then a further two midway through the second half, as he ended the game with a completely different eleven to the one that started.
City had gone into the break goalless, but two goals after the restart for the hosts, scored by Joe Aribo and Connor Goldson gave Rangers the victory.
“Marko didn’t have a save to make and that’s because Declan Drysdale made some brilliant blocks and got some great headers away and I thought he was outstanding and that was a plus for us because we have a lot of injuries to our back line.
“Michael Rose, Fankaty Dabo and Kyle McFadzean are out who would have normally played and then again in the second half we had no real midfield players apart from Josh Eccles who doesn’t have much experience, so it was a tough ask for the second half team.
“In the first half I thought we were good and then second half we came out and could’ve scored early on, but they got a foot hold in the game and when they can make changes that they can make and being a week away from their season starting I think I’ve got to be happy with the work out.”
There was also a start for young Jack Burroughs in the game, as he played in the right-wing-back position, which has been left short of cover due to Fankaty Dabo and Julien Dacosta missing through injury.
“Jack has done brilliant and he’s a young Scottish international and he’s acquitted himself really well.
“He was a little bit nervous to start with and that’s to be expected but he settled down and got to grips with things.”