Chances spurned as mistake allows Hatters to prosperCoventry City failed to take their chances and got caught with a route one sucker punch as Luton Town completed a league double over them at the CBS Arena.
Despite dominating possession and creating clear cut chances to score, the Sky Blues failed to find the required clinical touch to take advantage before the Hatters hit them on the break, with a defensive mistake letting in Elijah Adebayo to give the visitors the lead before the interval.
A sustained second half fightback saw a number of further chances go begging, the best of which fell to substitute Callum O’Hare who simply couldn’t beat the keeper in a one v one on a frustrating night on home soil.
City made a flying start straight from the kick-off with Viktor Gyokeres robbing wing-back Dan Potts of possession and driving up the wing before pulling the ball back to Matty Godden who hit a first time shot that failed to really trouble the keeper, but with barely 20 seconds on the clock it showed a clear statement of intent.
Gus Hamer then drove forward 30 yards with the ball at his feet and slipped a pass to Gyokeres to his left, only for the big Swede to hit a poor first time shot that flew disappointingly high and wide of the frame of the goal.
But as much as Coventry looked good going forward, Luton were a threat on the counter attack, as they were in the seventh minute when Elijah Adebayo beat Jake Clarke-Salter for pace and cut into the box to feed Jordan Clark whose cross was headed out for a corner, which City cleared at the near post.
Robins’s men continued to play with purpose as they dominated 66 per cent of possession in the first 25 minutes when Luton didn’t have a single attempt on goal.
In fact, the Hatters’ first shot came in the 27th after Michael Rose had mis-placed a pass straight to the midfielder for a free hit that fortunately flew straight at goalkeeper Simon Moore.
City were playing with three strikers on the pitch, with Godden and Gyokeres a real threat and Martyn Waghorn deployed in behind in the No.10 role on a night when Callum O’Hare started on the bench.
Hamer, meanwhile, completely bossed the midfield, winning the ball back time and time again and pulling the strings for City - an absolute joy to watch.
And the Brazilian worked his magic in the 37th minute when he drve forward again and slipped Gyokeres in to his left, only for the striker to fail to beat the keeper as he tried to bend the ball round him.
But City were hit against the run of play a minute later when a big kick from the keeper saw Michael Rose miss a vital header to Adebayo who cut into the box on the left and somehow squeezed the ball past Moore at his near post and into the far bottom corner to give the visitors the lead against the run of play.
It was a hugely disappointing blow seven minutes before the break and typical of City to end the half ruing their missed chances and handing the opposition the lead.
The team started the second half with renewed vigour, attacking from the first whistle and winning a free-kick which Hamer sent into the box where Kyle McFadzean headed narrowly over the bar.
Godden then fed Maatsen to his left and the wing-back cut in onto his right foot and lifted a shot inches over the bar as another chance went begging.
City had a scare from a Luton corner just after the hour when Adebayo had space to shoot in the box but was denied by a smart parry from Moore before Robins made a change, sending on Callum O’Hare for Waghorn.
Gyokeres had a shot deflected onto the roof of the net as Coventry laid siege on the opposition goal, desperately looking for the equaliser they deserved.
Fabio Tavares was thrown on in the 78th minute for the tiring Godden and made an immediate impact, setting up O’Hare who was clean through but couldn’t beat the keeper as City’s frustrations continued in front of goal.
And the final chance fell to Maatsen who headed into the side netting from a Todd Kane centre - the attempt summing up City’s night.
ATTENDANCE: 16,996 (1,757 away)