Mark Robins explains absence after Coventry City kick off their pre-season schedule with a win at Leamington

Mark Robins will check on Kyle McFadzean’s fitness to travel to Spain tomorrow after the defender sat out Coventry City’s opening pre-season friendly at Leamington.

The Sky Blues came from a goal down, scored by Brakes’ striker Dan Turner in the second minute, to win 3-1 after a comfortable second half when Matty Godden scored two and Fabio Tavares added a third. Godden put the ball in the back of the net four times but had two disallowed for offside as Robins played two different 11's in each half with a sprinkling of youth and experience.

McFadzean was the only player conspicuous by his absence, and the manager revealed afterwards: “He’s got tonsillitis, which he went down with yesterday (Fri) but hopefully the antibiotics will kick in. I will need to check in with him to see if he can come with us to Spain tomorrow (Sun).”

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The only other player who wasn’t involved, but who was present, was star striker Viktor Gyokeres, with Robins explaining: “Vik only came back in on Thursday, so he has done a little bit of training with us. He trained this morning and did his testing so I wasn’t going to put him in today. And he’s had his 12 day international commitment anyway, so he’s fine and he’ll be ahead of the others in terms of his fitness and where he is.”

As for the match in general, the City boss said: “It was all right, as I expected really. The lads have worked quite hard this week. They are back a bit earlier than usual so we look a bit behind where we would normally in pre-season, but that’s to be expected.”

City’s only senior signing to date, Kasey Palmer, started the game in the No.10 role behind Martyn Waghorn and Tyler Walker in