Coventry City's Under 23s were beaten 2-1 by Nottingham Forest at the Alan Higgs Centre on Monday afternoon.
Midfielder Jordan Young netted for the Sky Blues, but Forest were the winners thanks to goal in each half from Julian Larsson and Ateef Konate.
City had the first chance of the game, the ball falling to winger Will Bapaga from a Forest goal kick 8 minutes into the encounter. Around 25 yards out, Bapaga hit a shot that was saved low to his left by the visiting keeper, with Wesley Jobello's follow-up effort diverted wide.
Forest were the next side to have an effort to break the deadlock after 17 minutes, with Konate testing Billson's shot stopping and the City keeper being forced to parry a long range effort clear. Six minutes later, the Forest forward had another go and Billson diverted the ball over his bar.
The game failed to get going for the Sky Blues against a Forest side who are topping the table, and the next half-chance was Jay McGrath's header, coming from a Jobello corner. Jobello was involved in the next opportunity, running on to a Kastaneer ball forward, but the French winger's shot was wide from just inside the penalty area.
It was Forest who took the lead just before the break. Larsson netted for the away side from the penalty spot, after a Kastaneer foul in the area.
In the second-half, it was Forest who were on top to start with. Dale Taylor was released behind the Sky Blues defence in the box by a good through ball, however Billson stood up tall to make a point blank stop.
City had an equaliser ruled out for offside after 51 minutes, David Bremang being adjudged to have been beyond the last defender when chasing Jack Burroughs' lofted pass.
Jordan Young, a half-time replacement for Jobello as they moved to three in the centre of midfield, read a David Bremang knock-down well and hit a rasping shot over the bar from the edge of the box after 55 minutes.
Forest began to dominate the territory battle, and doubled their lead after 72 minutes.
Good work on the visitors right hand side saw the ball pulled back across the box for Konate, who finished emphatically.
The Sky Blues managed to pull back a goal from the penalty spot in the 80th minute. Aaron Evans-Harriott twisted and turned his way into the box from the left wing and was brought to ground by the Forest defender, who was then given his marching orders for a second bookable offence.
Jordan Young stepped up to blast the ball home, and make the score 2-1 with ten minutes left.
Both sides pressed to add another goal in the final moment, City coming closest when Jack Burroughs' chip into the area was headed just wide by Evans-Harriott, but the scores remained the same as the referee brought an end to proceedings.
Sky Blues XI: Tom Billson (GK), Blaine Rowe, Josh Pask, Jay McGrath, Joe Newton, Dan Bartlett (C), Jack Burroughs, Wesley Jobello (Jordan Young 45'), Gervane Kastaneer (Harriosn Nee 70'), Will Bapaga (Aaron Evans-Harriott 66'), David Bremang.
Subs Not Used: Cian Tyler (GK), George Burroughs.