A much-changed Town side exited the Carabao Cup at the first stage following a narrow defeat at Coventry.

Matt Bloomfield fielded a completely different starting eleven that beat Peterborough on Saturday against their Championship opponents but, despite a series of half-chances, especially in the first half, the Town – 1988 winners of the competition – fell at the first hurdle following Ellis Simms’ goal shortly before the hour.

But there can be plenty of positives to take as a young side, which included 17-year-old academy graduate Christian Chigozie, ran the hosts close.

Of the 11 changes from the win at London Road, three players made their Luton Town debuts with new signing Cohen Bramall and Gideon Kodua joining Chigozie in marking their first appearances in orange.

The Town looked bright in the opening stages with Kodua and Lamine Fanne having plenty of the ball – Fanne twice creating two openings in the first 12 minutes which were blocked.

Still the Hatters pressed, and five minutes later, Cauley Woodrow’s deft header following Liam Walsh’s left-wing corner landed a yard the wrong side of the post. Woodrow then hit a piledriver from distance moments later which warmed the gloves of Ben Wilson in the Coventry goal.

At the other end James Shea, making his 111th appearance, had very little to do. Simms came close to breaking the deadlock on 23 minutes when hooking wide before Thomas Holmes blocked a goal-bound effort from Kai Andrews shortly after.

As the first half came to a conclusion, the Town upped the ante. Woodrow saw a shot blocked from a narrow angle before Zack Nelson’s shot suffered the same fate after good work from Fanne and Kodua.

Bloomfield introduced Nigel Lonwijk at the break in place of Bramall down the left but, with the second half’s first real chance, the Town fell behind.

Coventry’s Rafael and Haji Wright combined well down the right for the latter to send a ball bobbling across the face of goal and Simms tucked home into an empty net.

In response, changes followed for the Hatters with Milli Alli, Jake Richards – also on for his debut – Jerry Yates and Josh Phillips sent on.

And they almost had an instant impact on 65 minutes when Alli raced down the right to fashion a chance that led to Nelson blazing a first-time shot high over the bar when well-placed on the edge of the box.

Time began to tick down but, as the Town chased an equaliser in hope of forcing penalties, they were indebted to a magnificent save from Shea to keep out a goal-bound free-kick from Jack Rudoni on 76 minutes.

While the Hatters continued to rally, they could not break down the home defence and, in truth, Coventry should have been home and hosed had Simms converted two decent chances from close range in the final moments.

At the death the Town almost snatched an equaliser when, from a Walsh corner and with Shea up from the back, Mark McGuinness nodded across goal and Richards headed over.

But what was the game’s final chance and with it went the Hatters’ hope of a run in the competition.

It’s back to League One action on Saturday with a trip to Bradford. We’ll see you then. UTT.

Town: Shea, Kodua (sub Alli 58), Bramall (sub Lonwijk 46), Chigozie, McGuinness, Holmes (sub Phillips 64). Walsh, Nelson, Fanne, Nordås (sub Yates 64), Woodrow (sub Richards 58).

Subs not used: Keeley, Andersen, Clark, Saville.

Attendance: 10,536, including 515 of them following the Town.