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Coventry City slumped to a third consecutive League One defeat – Adam Armstrong’s second-half penalty scant consolation after two set-piece lapses handed the initiative to the managerless Iron.

Swedish defender Martin Lorentzson made his debut in a Sky Blues selection that saw Adam Armstrong and Jacob Murphy back from the minor knocks that ruled them out at Southend last week while James Maddison reclaimed his starting role from the injured Joe Cole.

Scunthorpe United were unchanged from the side that clipped Colchester 3-0 last time out with Cov Kids Gary McSheffrey and Jordan Clarke on the bench.

The Sky Blues were denied what looked a clear penalty as Mirfin, having lost the ball to Murphy, sent the Norwich youngster sprawling. And relieved Scunthorpe went straight upfield to force a corner that Mirfin turned on for Hopper to crack into the net.

Maddison made space brilliantly on the 18-yard line but pulled his shot fractionally wide but City needed a perfectly-timed Ramage to halt Hooper when Scunthorpe broke quickly while Madden sliced a good chance wide when a misunderstanding between Ramage and Ricketts left him with an open channel down the left.

After an unscheduled delay when linesman Nigel Smith hobbled off and replacement Wayne Barrett went through an elaborate warm-up on the touchline the game clocked up six minutes of first-half overtime.

And that almost signalled further disaster for City as former loan man Williams unleashed a curling shot that clipped the angle of post and bar with Charles-Cook stranded.

Tony Mowbray acted decisively at half-time, replacing Hunt and Bigirimana with O’Brien and Rose, the latter making his debut.

They were so nearly back on terms inside three minutes, Maddison teeing up Armstrong for blast that Daniels turned over the bar and Lorentzson meeting the subsequent corner with a close-range header that hit the turf and bounced over.

Daniels got away with it when he fumbled Murphy’s hopeful 30-yarder as City started to rack up the pressure.

But they found themselves 2-0 drift as Scunthorpe hit them with another setpiece sucker punch in the 62nd minute, Ness curling a softly-conceded corner into the six-yard box where Wallace stooped to tuck his header past Charles-Cook.

Armstrong headed over from O’Brien’s cross and Murphy slashed a wild shot well wide before Scunthorpe unleashed McSheffrey to a warm reception from the bulk of the City fans.

The Sky Blues clawed their way back into the game when Maddison was fouled by Ness Armstrong sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot.

But the home fans’ roar was choked off two minutes later when Vincelot was ordered off after collecting his second booking for a foul on Ness.

City continued to press forward but with another Cov Kid, Jordan Clarke, on the field for the five minutes of overtime Scunthorpe clung on to complete their seasonal double.

The teams

Coventry City (4-2-3-1): Reice Charles-Cook; Martin Lorentzson (78 mins, Aaron Phillips), Sam Ricketts, Peter Ramage, Chris Stokes; Romain Vincelot, Gael Bigirimana (H/T Andy Rose); Jacob Murphy, James Maddison, Stephen Hunt (H/T Jim O’Brien); Adam Armstrong.

Substitutes not used: Lee Burge (goalkeeper), Ryan Haynes, Ruben Lameiras, Marc-Antoine Fortune.

Scunthorpe (4-2-3-1) : Luke Daniels; Scott Wiseman, David Mirfin, Murray Wallace, Conor Townsend; Neal Bishop, Jamie Ness; Paddy Madden, Stephen Dawson (61 mins, Jack King), Luke Williams (89 mins, Jordan Clarke); Tom Hopper (72 mins, Gary McSheffrey).

Substitutes not used: Joe Anyon (goalkeeper), Scott Laird, Darius Henderson, Kyle Wootton.

How did City set up?

Tony Mowbray made four changes to his side that lost 3-0 at Southend, including the return of Adam Armstrong and Jacob Murphy whose combined goal threat was sorely missed to Roots Hall.

James Maddison came back into the starting line-up in place of Joe Cole who was out with a “slight knock” while Swedish right-back Martin Lorentzson was handed his City debut, resulting in Sam Ricketts switching across to centre-half alongside Peter Ramage and Chris Strokes reverting to left-back.

Gael Bigirimana filled in again for the suspended John Fleck while Andy Rose provided back-up from the bench on a day when veteran forward Stephen Hunt made his Ricoh bow.

How did Scunny set up?

Cov Kids Gary McSheffrey and Jordan Clarke were on the bench for the Iron as caretaker bosses Nick Daws and Andy Dawson kept faith with the side that beat Colchester 3-0 at Glanford Park.

The visitors matched City up with a 4-2-3-1 line-up with Tom Hopper leading the line and leading scorer Paddy Madden operating from the right but given practically a free supporting role.

Neal Bishop and Jamie Ness provided the metal in midfield, patrolling in front of the back four.

Attendance

11,138 (430 away).

Goals

8 mins: Tom Hopper turns the ball in from close range after David Mirfin heads a corner kick forward to the unmarked striker. 0-1.

61 mins: Murray Wallace heads home from a corner. 0-2.

85 mins: James Maddison is fouled in the box and Adam Armstrong sends the keeper the wrong way from the resulting penalty. 1-2.

How did the game pan out?

City started the game looking enterprising but their confidence took a huge dent when Tom Hopper was allowed far too much space to turn in a forward ball from a corner with barely eight minutes on the clock.

Scunthorpe keeper Luke Daniels made one decent stop to deny Adam Armstrong but The Iron should have grabbed a second when a Peter Ramage mistake let Paddy Madden in on goal, only for the leading scorer to shoot wide across the face.

The visitors went close again before the break when Luke Williams clipped the woodwork.

Jim O’Brien and Andy Rose replaced Stephen Hunt and Gael Bigirimana for the second half when City had a lot more urgency about them as they looked to get back on terms, which they almost did when Armstrong broke clear and was denied by a decent save.

But City give themselves a mountain to climb when they conceded a second on the hour from another corner kick.

There was a glimmer of hope when Armstrong pulled one back from the penalty spot but they are reduced to ten men when Vincleot picked up a second yellow. In a nutshell, City were once again out-muscled by a physical side who appeared to the benefit of the doubt from the referee but only have themselves to blame as they failed to defend from set-pieces.

Back to the drawing board City!

How did Martin Lorentzson look on his City debut?

The Swede impressed.

He got forward well where he linked with the forwards and looked comfortable and assured on the ball which he used very well, and almost scored from a corner.

Very much in the Sam Ricketts school of coolness personified on the ball.

How did Stephen Hunt play in his first game at the Ricoh?

The veteran Irishman worked hard but never really imposed himself on the game in the first half.

How did Andy Rose look when he went on at half-time?

Bags of energy and battling qualities and got forward into the box well as City were chasing the game.

Did James Maddison impress the plethora of scouts who regularly check him out at the Ricoh?

The teenager looked lively, always looking for the ball and creating something out of nothing in the final third where he was a marked man, being constantly fouled by a muscular opposition.

Star man

James Maddison was full of quality on a day when too many of his team-mates weren’t up to scratch.