Sky Blues Under-23s Head Coach Luke Tisdale, was left disappointed after his side fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat against Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday.
An unfortunate own goal by defender Blaine Rowe ultimately secured the points for the visitors, despite City going close to equalising through Dan Bartlett moments after.
Speaking after the final whistle, Tisdale reflected on the result and expressed his frustration at the defeat.
“It summed up our season at home.” Tisdale said.
“We dominated the ball first half and had loads of possession, but with little threat in behind and you’re always wary of getting caught on a mistake or a counter-attack, but we didn’t heed that lesson.
“Obviously, we then concede through an own goal which I think is the only goal threat they had all afternoon so it’s criminal to be taking zero points from the game.
“To be honest it’s happened to us that many times this season it’s all we deserve. You look back at Bristol City at home and that was exactly the same story, we dominated the game loads of chances but didn’t take them, lose 1-0. Millwall at home exactly the same.”
Despite coming away with nothing, it wasn’t through the lack of trying, as City dominated the ball and had chances to get back into it.
“I think we got into good areas and didn’t shoot or overplayed, similar to the Hull City game as well, their goalkeeper made a couple of outstanding saves to keep it 1-0 but it took us going 1-0 down to realise.
“We didn’t do anything progressive with the ball and then we weren’t going to get anything out of it. If we’d have shown that intensity in the first 60 minutes of the game we probably could have put the game to bed.”
Away from the game, a positive for the Under-23s group this week came on Easter Monday, when Josh Eccles was handed a start for the first team against Bristol City.
Josh was brought into the first team group a few weeks ago and after a string of impressive performances with the 23s and in training, the 21-year-old was rewarded with a first start in the Championship against the Robins.
Tisdale believes the rest of the group can use Josh’s rise into the first team as an example of the pathway which exists.
“We’re all delighted for Josh. He had that loan at Gillingham where he was in and out of the team, came back and worked solely with the 23’s team in a five-or-six-week block and was one of the hardest working players training down at the Higgs.
“Josh did what we need all young players to do. He forced us to keep saying to the manager that he’s playing in training really well, because he did every day and every game.
“That’s the reason he plays in the game against Bristol and that’s because in these under 23’s games Josh has been the one that takes the game by the scruff of the neck, makes things happen, risks the ball, gets shots away, and that’s the reason why Josh is playing for the first team.
“Everyone else has to make that happen, we have four or five games to go where they have to show they have the ability to do that.”