Harry Davis started the game after returning from a knee injury that has prevented him from featuring at all this season, and there were also starts for Jon Guthrie and Lauri Dalla Valle to keep the bit-part first teamers match sharp.

The Sky Blues won the game thanks to a goal in each half. Shipley headed the ball home in the first period from Haynes' peach of a cross before Shipley turned provider for Hickman to steer in at the back post midway through the second period.

Guthrie hit the bar with a header from a corner late on, but Coventry held on to their clean sheet.

Crewe: Richards, Baillie, Kearns, Davis, Guthrie, Howell, O'Neill, Wintle, Dalla Valle, Cooper, Brown