THE SKY Blues slipped to a third consecutive defeat in League One after losing 2-1 at home Scunthorpe United but manager Tony Mowbray is refusing to make up any excuses.
Tom Hopper was able to volley home unmarked to give the visitors the lead at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday before Murray Wallace headed home a second in the second half.
A 16th goal of the season from the spot by Adam Armstrong after James Maddison was brought down inside the area gave the home support a glimmer of hope.
But there was no sign of an equaliser in the remaining five minutes as the Sky Blues ended January by taking just four points out of a possible 15.
“We have to stick together,” said a frustrated Mowbray. “We talked about it last week after a poor result but words are cheap and you’ve got to do it on the grass.
“Nobody can go around feeling sorry for themselves, these are professional footballers and you’ve got to go and grab what we need ourselves.
“I didn’t see enough from us in the first-half, we need to show a lot more than that in games and we improved after the break.
“Before they got their second goal, we had a few chances to draw level. Their keeper has made a brilliant save to deny Adam Armstrong and if that goes in, it might have been different.
“We’ve got to react from Saturday’s result. I would say we’ve got a number of injuries and were missing John Fleck again but it isn’t time for any excuses.”
The visitors silenced the home support after just nine minutes when Hopper was left completely umarked to volley powerfully past Reice Charles-Cook.
Former Sky Blues loanee Luke Williams forced Charles-Cook into a full stretch save while at the other end Armstrong saw his powerful shot beaten away by Luke Daniels and Maddison shot inches wide from the edge of the area.
On the half-hour mark a mistake at the back by Peter Ramage allowed Paddy Madden to break clear down the left but he shot wide of goal and on the stroke of half-time Williams struck the bar with a thunderous shot.
The introduction of Jim O’Brien and Andy Rose boosted the home attack and soon after the break Armstrong forced Daniels into a fine save before debutant Martin Lorentzson headed narrowly wide.
On 62 minutes Scunthorpe bagged a second after Wallace sent a header into the bottom corner of the net to leave the Sky Blues with it all to do.
A left-footed shot by Murphy forced Daniels into a low save and Romain Vincelot headed narrowly wide from the resultant corner before the hosts were awarded a penatly five minutes from time.
Maddison was tripped on the edge of the area but the referee pointed the spot and Armstrong confidently stroked the ball home, however Mowbay’s side could not find another breakthrough.
