Coventry City 2-3 Valenciennes
Burge, Grimmer, Leahy, Willis, McDonald, Stevenson, Vincenti, Doyle, Beavon, McNulty, Jones. Subs: Devon Kelly-Evans, O'Brien, Camwell, Hyam, Kelly, Shipley, Biamou, Finn, Moorhouse, Ponticelli,
Second half: O'Brien, Devon Kelly-Evans, Camwell, Leahy, Hyam Shipley, Doyle (Kelly 65), Biamou, Ponticelli, Moorhouse, Finn,
Valenciennes: Perquis, Dabo, Ntim, Nery , Quenum, Yamissi, Azbague, Diarra, Ndao, Toulon, Ambri. Subs Kocik, Dos Santos, Nestor, Nikate, Pierre Charles, Thiago, Ramare, Roudet, Romil, Mothiba,
Ref: Martinez Montablan.
Goals Steve Ambri 5, Marc McNulty 38, Jordan Ponticelli 64, Own Goal 73, Loic Nestor 79.
Coventry City let a 2-1 lead slip and ended up losing 3-2 to Valenciennes in Spain tonight.
A trip to the sun for once in pre-season and it was a chance seized up by a good number of City supporters either from Britain or Spain, with reports of around five hundred joining us in the stand down the side of the pitch nearest the bar which was serving only alcohol free.
The Pinatar Arena in San Pedro del Pinatar in the region of Murcia, about 90kms from the original Allicante/Benedorm region that was first muted, was the setting for this game on a baking hot Tuesday.
City fielded a pretty much expected team, who played in the new sky blue kit, but were a goal down in five minutes when Ndao crossed for Steve Ambri to score from five yards.
The French side were over-running City in midfield, which meant that the defence, well Marshall by Rod McDonald, plus Vincenti and Doyle had to work harder.
In the 38th minute, Darragh Leahy who worked well down the left, got the ball over. Stuart Beavon went down and Marc McNulty stroked home the resulting penalty to the delight of the City support.
Mark Robins rang the changes over at the break and City nearly went ahead thirty seconds into the second half when Max Biamou dragged his shot wide.
Moorhouse volleyed wide of the keeper's left hand post in the 52nd minute and three minutes later, Ponticelli won a corner with a deflected shot.
Kyle Finn won another corner straight away before Leahy fouled Ndao on the hour mark and Liam O'Brien cleverly punched away.
Finn won another corner in the 64th minute. That came over and there was Jordan Ponticelli to volley home before turning to celebrate with the City support.
Finn and Shipley knocked the ball round well but Valenciennes levelled when Leahy errored and the ball went into the net off Dominic Hyam on a hybrid pitch that was watered but played well.
Roll hit a shot which was deflected for a 79th minute corner. That came over and Loic Nestor curled the ball into the net from twenty yards and City went down to a defeat.