Sky Blues striker Gary McSheffrey is pushing for a place in the first team after scoring in the reserves’ 1-0 win over Leicester City at Highfield Road last night.

And with Julian Joachim still out injured and Lee Hughes suspended for City’s next game against Grimsby on Saturday week, the 19-year-old could get a call much sooner than expected.

The youngster, who has been robbed of a year from his career through injury, was in hot form during pre-season and that has carried itself forward into the reserves’ opening matches.

He had a supremely taken finish ruled out against Arsenal a fortnight ago for offside and proved last night that he is still deadly in front of goal with a crisply taken penalty to give a young Coventry side victory.

Goalkeeper Andy Goram made his debut for the Sky Blues and Swedish international Tomas Antonelius played at full back, but, those aside, the team was full of players with limited senior experience.

Craig Pead, another young City star who has missed more than a year through injury, began at right back and impressed with a series of quality Beckham-esque crosses.

And winger Mark Magennis helped Coventry’s youngsters run the show, but it was left to McSheffrey’s 71st minute spot kick, after Mark Noon was tripped, to win the game for the Sky Blues.

Meanwhile, David Thompson has issued an apology to fans after a two-fingered gesture following Monday’s disappointing 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest.

The former Liverpool winger came in for personal tirades from City supporters after wasting several chances to cross the ball when Forest were down to nine men.

As he walked towards the tunnel at the end of the game he gestured to a supporter in the Main Stand, but he said yesterday:

“I deeply regret the gesture that I made as I left the pitch. I was already angry at the result and unfortunately my feelings got the better of me.

“In no way did I intend to offend any of the other supporters. I hope the individual concerned in the booing feels as embarrassed about his behaviour as I do about mine.”