It’s Hall bad for U23s at home again

THREE first-team players were given a run out in Coventry City’s Under-23s who slipped to a second consecutive home defeat.

Luke Tisdale’s development side included forwards Jordy Hiwula, Gervane Kastaneer and Jodi Jones in a 2-0 defeat by Queens Park Rangers yesterday, managed by former Sky Blues player and Academy coach Paul Hall.

Hiwlua and Kastaneer played the full 90 minutes, which virtually rules them out of tonight’s FA Cup tie with Blues, while Jones played 65 minutes before making way for youngster Will Bapaga.

“It was a difficult one – a very intense game,” said development coach Luke Tisdale, reflecting on the 2-0 defeat at the Alan Higgs Centre.

“It was a bit of a basketball game in the first half and we have conceded from a set-piece, which was a really poor way to start the first half and puts you on the back foot.

“We had a lot of chances to get ourselves back into it and didn’t take them, and that always puts you at the risk of going 2-0 behind but the pressing was good and we thought we’d be able to turn the ball over in their back half a little bit but didn’t make the most of them, which is probably the tale of the game really.

“The second goal was a sucker punch which killed us, but we have to do better in the wide areas and not let them get into the box so easily.”

He added: “The development squad are going to have to work really hard to win games of football because we have got a number of players away at other clubs.”