DEFENDER Chris Stokes praised his fellow defensive back line for keeping a fourth consecutive clean sheet while maintaining the Sky Blues’ unbeaten run at the Ricoh Arena this season.
Tony Mowbray’s side were left frustrated after being held to a goalless draw at home to Blackpool on Saturday.
Despite dominating for the majority of the match, the Sky Blues were unable to find a breakthrough against a stubborn Blackpool side.
Stokes, 24, had one of City’s best chances of the match when he unleashed a curling effort on his weaker right foot from the edge of the area, but visiting goalkeeper Colin Doyle produced a superb full stretch save along with several others to record his fourth clean sheet of the season.
“I thought it had gone in to be honest!” said Stokes.
“Flecky’s (John Fleck) knocked it to me and I thought I’d swing and have a go, it was a great save, I thought I’d scored and thought how’s the ball got there! It was one of those games really.
“We had to keep plugging away, in some games this season we’ve been trying to get late goals and Saturday it just wasn’t our day.
“I suppose we have to look at the positives, that we’re still unbeaten at home and have three clean sheets in the league. We have to keep that going.”
Stokes met new arrival Joe Cole for the first time in the tunnel on Saturday and he admits the arrival of the England international has come as a shock to the Sky Blues squad.
He added: “I’m delighted! It’s massive, it shows how far we’ve come, he wouldn’t join for no reason I’m sure he can see the ambition.
“I was shocked – I had to refresh social media to make sure it was him! He’s played for England, won Premier League titles and it shows how far we can go to attract players like him.”
