IT WAS impossible not the appreciate the irony.

As the Ricoh Arena crowd of 8,643 rose as one, both before and during Saturday’s encounter, to pay tribute to the late Cyrille Regis, taken far too soon earlier in the week, on the pitch we were treated to the sort of finishing with which the Sky Blue hero made his name.

A thundering blast from current City striker Max Biamou and a confidently-dispatched penalty from Marc McNulty, who later added a further precision finish, would certainly not have looked out of place had they come from the feet of Regis himself in his prime.

How Swindon Town were in need of some of the great man’s considerable prowess in front of goal.

So much of the visitors’ build-up work carried threat and menace and looked full of poise and purpose, until reaching the City penalty area, at which point it too often petered out in a flurry of rushed chances and snatched opportunities.

How else to explain a contest which Town largely had the better of, yet ended up losing 3-1 when goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook was barely tested in anger?

Manager David Flitcroft made one change for the side that edged to victory over Forest Green Rovers last weekend, with Kellan Gordon earning a start out wide and Kyle Knoyle dropping to the bench.

This Is Wiltshire:

Kaiyne Woolery has a stab at goal

Knoyle was joined by new signing Marc Richards, with John Goddard dropping out of the matchday squad, but it was Coventry immediately on the front foot as Jordan Shipley advanced and let fly from range in the opening minute, the shot being deflected wide.

Town came under early pressure as City buzzed around before the visitors had a little spell, skipper Olly Lancashire just failing to connect with an Ellis Iandolo cross at the far post before Luke Norris headed over with the home side’s keeper Lee Burge looking a little shaky under aerial threat.

Lancashire needed help from Matt Preston as home striker Max Biamou caused problems but Town then put together a nice move of their own, Ollie Banks sweeping the ball out to Gordon, who stood up a cross to the back post where Ellis Iandolo headed it back across and it was cleared behind. Lancashire headed the resulting corner wide.

It had been a largely even opening spell – but Town were then stunned by two body-blows within four minutes.

This Is Wiltshire:

Marc Richards made his Swindon Town debut

There seemed little danger when a ball forward as dealt with by the visiting defence but as it rolled loose, Biamou strode forward and blasted a stunning strike past a helpless Charles-Cook into the top corner.

Town tried to respond as Kaiyne Woolery blasted over before they were rocked again.

McNulty broke into the area and seemed to tangle legs with Preston, referee Stephen Martin pointing to the spot. McNulty stepped up and hammered the ball into the same top-right corner.

Reeling from those goals, Town tried to work their way back into it but City still threatened, Gordon earning a yellow card for a scything challenge on Tom Davies.

As the away side started to build up a head of steam though, they halved their deficit on 39 minutes.

This Is Wiltshire:

Matt Preston handed the hosts a penalty

Anderson found an unmarked Iandolo on the left edge of the box and his low cross was just too good to turn down as Banks arrived to turn home his first Town goal.

Suddenly, it was Coventry looking ropey and Norris almost restored parity with a piledriver from the edge of the box that clipped the top of Burge’s crossbar after the keeper had got fingers to it.

Still Town poured forward, Iandolo heading into Burge’s grateful arms as the visitors ended the half the stronger.

A low-key start to the second period saw Preston defend well as McNulty latched on to a through ball from Biamou but both sides appeared to be feeling each other out as the intensity levels dropped substantially.

Town should really have levelled on the hour mark as Gordon cleverly won a free kick on the right.

Iandolo’s initial delivery was poor but a game of pinball ensued from a lofted cross to the back post, a Chris Robertson header hitting the bar and a Banks effort being blocked in the melee as City desperately threw bodies in the line of fire.

Moments later, Iandolo lofted another free kick to the back post, the ball fell to Norris and he blasted straight at Burge from no more than a few yards.

Norris was then withdrawn, Richards coming on for his Town debut, with the point, if not three, definitely looking available for the visitors, who then swapped Woolery for Paul Mullin after City had brought on Dean Kelly-Evans for Jordan Maguire-Drew.

This Is Wiltshire:

Luke Norris looks to get Town back in contention

James Brophy also joined the fray in place of Gordon and it was Town doing all the pressing, yet without overly stretching Burge in the home goal.

Out of nowhere though, Town found themselves with a two-goal deficit again – and they most certainly the architects of their own downfall.

A little flurry of Coventry pressure seemed to have been eased as the ball fell to the ex-Crystal Palace man 30 yards out from his own goal.

But instead of completing the clearance tried to run the ball clear, over-played in a bad area and lost possession.

McNulty picked up the ball, took a quick look up and curled a fine finish beyond a statuesque Charles-Cook into the far corner.

That knocked the stuffing out of the visitors, Banks’ high effort from distance the best they could muster late on.

But City largely played out time untroubled, as Town ceded ground to one of their rivals for promotion.