Oxford United's Carabao Cup adventure came to an end this evening in the second round, as they went down to Brandon Thomas-Asante's shot that took a cruel deflection to beat an otherwise impassable Matt Ingram.
United rang the changes from their Championship game at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, and there were still six changes to the side that beat Peterborough United in the first round, with Ciaron Brown starting in place of Jordan Thorniley, Cameron Brannagan - recovered from the illness that kept him out at Ewood Park - instead of Rúben Rodrigues, Malcolm Ebiowei replacing Tyler Goodrham, Dane Scarlett making his first Oxford start at the expense of Matt Phillips, and Owen Dale coming in for Idris El Mizouni.
The first half hour was an entertaining affair with both sides looking to attack, although perhaps understandably it lacked the intensity of the league meeting just 11 days earlier.
The first bit of real excitement came in the eighth minute, when Kasey Palmer's corner was headed against the Oxford bar, leading to a quick United break through Dale, before Ebiowei switched play for Brannagan, and although nothing came of it, it showed the threat that the Yellows carried on the break.
It wasn't until the 15th minute that either side managed a shot on target, Norman Bassette providing catching practice for Ingram.
Both sides continued to show plenty of endeavour without creating any real chances, although Coventry came close in the final minute of the half as Thomas-Asante steered Bassette's cross just wide of the far post.
The opening goal, when it came in the 57th minute, came from Thomas-Asante's shot that took a wicked deflection off Sam Long to loop high over Ingram and drop into the net. Not the prettiest goal but it helped bring the game to life.
Ingram was again called into action to palm away a Thomas-Asante header that looked all the way a goal, and a minute later performed another miraculous save to deny Ephron Mason-Clark's long-range effort, clearing the corner away from right under his crossbar as Coventry looked to put the tie to bed.
However, while Coventry retained a one-goal lead there was always the possibility that Oxford might be able to get the goal to take the tie to a penalty shoot-out, and that moment almost arrived in the 89th minute, when substitutes Goodrham and Mark Harris combined, Harris inches away from connecting with Goodrham's clever cross.
Oxford almost found the way through during the five minutes of added time as a good move ended with Vaulks' drive arrowing narrowly wide of the far post.
But it was not to be and the U's went down to their second defeat in 11 days at the CBS Arena.
Oxford United: Ingram, Long, Brown, McEachran (Vaulks 61), Brannagan (El Mizouni 61), Ebiowei (Rodrigues 77), Sibley, Dale (Goodrham 61), Leigh, Kioso, Scarlett (Harris 83)
Unused subs: Eastwood, Currie, Golding, O'Donkor
Attendance: 11,808 (Away TBC)
Report: Martin Brodetsky; Photography: JasonPix, Steve Edmunds
