Tommy Conway’s first career brace ensured Bristol City’s route into the second round of the Carabao Cup with a 4-1 win against Coventry at the Pirelli Stadium.
The forward was starting for the Robins for the first time since May 2021 and netted a first-half brace inside half an hour after Kai Naismith opened the scoring.
Andreas Weimann wrapped things up deep into stoppage time after Jamie Allen had got one back for the hosts after 62 minutes.
The game was played at Burton Albion’s Pirelli Stadium after the pitch at the Coventry Building Society Arena was deemed unplayable following 65 Rugby 7s matches in just three days during the Commonwealth Games.
Conway was one of five changes made by Nigel Pearson which also saw Kane Wilson make his full debut, whilst Andy King, Cameron Pring and Nahki Wells also came into the side.
Mark Robins opted for eight changes from the Sky Blues’ one and only game this season against Sunderland, handing full debuts to loanees Callum Doyle and Tayo Adaramola, whilst Kasey Palmer started for the first time against his former club.
Bristol City were ahead after 12 minutes. Coventry failed to clear Wilson’s corner and Wells’ square header allowed Naismith to nod in his first goal since his summer move from Luton.
Pearson’s men doubled their lead six minutes later through 20-year-old Conway. Han-Noah Massengo’s crisp, precise pass fed academy graduate Conway who tucked home past Ben Wilson.
The visitors made their lead even more secure on the half hour when Wells robbed Josh Eccles and slid in Conway, who meandered his way into the box before his deflected shot trickled into the bottom corner. Wilson denied Conway a dream hat-trick before Pring’s follow-up was cancelled out by the offside flag.
Robins made a triple sub on the hour mark which made instant dividends as the newly introduced Jake Bidwell fizzed in a cross which was slammed in by Allen to reduce the deficit.
But Bristol City restored their three-goal buffer deep into injury time when Weimann linked up with Sam Bell, driving into the box before slotting past Wilson.
