COVENTRY CITY U21's 0-2 CRYSTAL PALACE
City: Burge, Whitmore, Dion Kelly-Evans, Finch, Lawton, Harries, Maddison, Stevenson, Thomas, Spence (Sambou 74), Coulibaly (Devon Kelly Evans 64). Subs Addai, Maycock
Palace: Price, Egbo, Berkeley, Boateng, Inniss, Ramage (Magri 46). Gray, Dymond, Johnson (Adarbioyo 74), Bannan (Da Silva 74) Kaikai. Subs: Pain, Allassani.
HT CCFC 0-0 CPFC
FT CCFC 0-2 CPFC
Referee Michael Griffiths
Goals Andrew Johnson 67, Jacob Berkeley 74
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Coventry City U21's continue to look for their first win of the season after a 2-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace.
At the Ricoh Arena, Neil MacFarlane fielded a side which included a number who had featured in the Birmingham Senior Cup last night plus Month Coulibaly, whilst Palace featured former England international Andrew Johnson, Peter Ramage and former Villa player Barry Bannan.
In front a crowd of around a hundred which included Steven Pressley, Ryan Haynes, Andy Webster, Jordan Willis and a handful of Palace fans, City in their sky blue home kit got in a Palace side in yellow shirts and navy shorts from the start.
Captain Ivor Lawton was soon leading by example, getting stuck in to make a second minute clearance.
A fifth minute City free kick led to a corner and two minutes later, Kyle Spence won another.
In the eight minute. Andrew Johnson won Palace a corner and just missed the incoming balls as did Jullay Kaikai at the far post.
Burge, now fit again, got down to a Kaikai cross and after Dymond had been booked, George Thomas race through from a Dion Kelly-Evans pass and fired wide.
Johnson glanced a flick header wide and Coulibaly fired wide on the turn following a 28th minute in a game which needed a goal.
James Maddison and Ben Stevenson worked hard in midfield as did Jacob Whitmore who had done plenty of running in the opening half hour.
Both sides won corners with Coulibaly getting in some good positions to see his shots blocked whilst at the other end, Cian Harries made a good block.
Harries fired over following a 43rd minute corner but it was a goal-less game at the break.
Palace sent on Magri for Ramage at the break and the Eagles won a corner three minutes into the second half before Burge got down to smother a Boateng drive.
In the 51st minute, City had a free kick on the edge of the area for a foul on Dion Kelly Evans but Maddison's free kick was cleared.
Bannan headed wide in the 57th minute and four minutes later, the hard working Dion Kelly-Evans fired over.
Just after Ryan Inniss had headed a corner wide, Macfarlane sent on Devon Kelly-Evans for Coulibaly. However, the twin brother of Dion was only on the pitch for three minutes when a ball sailed over his head and fell for Andrew Johnson to race through and slip the ball past the advancing Burge and into the net.
With twenty minutes remaining, City won a free kick on the edge of the box and James Maddison put in a stunning kick but Lewis Price went to his left to push over for an easily cleared corner.
Burge saved from KaiKai at the other end as both sides prepared to bring on substitutes.
Kaikai drilled wide before both sides made changes and Palace increased their lead even further when Jacob Berkeley got the ball on the left and rounded Lee Burge to score.
KaiKai, Palace's best player sent over a free kick with eleven minutes to go but City, yet again, did not have a way to get back in the game and their run of games without a win continues.