Marc McNulty’s strike with under 10 minutes to go condemned Swindon Town to an 11th defeat of the League Two season as David Flitcroft’s men paid the price for missed chances at the Ricoh Arena.

Town were stung by a quick-fire brace of City goals just before the 20-minute mark in the first half before Ollie Banks’ netted his first Swindon goal to get them back in it before half-time.

Luke Norris saw a shot tipped on to the bar before the break but despite dominating the second period, Town were unable to get back on terms and McNulty killed them off with a curling effort from the edge of the box after Keshi Anderson had surrendered possession.

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.

Knoyle was joined by new signing Marc Richards, with John Goddard dropping out of the matchday squad, Coventry were 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 Coventry 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.

After the crowd, who had observed an impeccable minute’s applause in memory of former striker Cyrille Regis before kick-off, rose again to acclaim their former frontman in the ninth minute, Lancashire needed help from Matt Preston as home striker Max Biamou caused problems.

Town then put together a nice move of their own, Banks sweeping the ball out to Gordon, who stood up a cross to the back post where 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.

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 Reice 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.

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 a touch.

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 Town header hitting the bar and another effort being blocked in the melee.

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

Norris was then withdrawn, Richards coming on for his Town debut, with the point, if not three, definitely available for the visitors, who then swapped Woolery for Paul Mullin after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

James Brophy also joined the fray in place of Gordon and it was Town doing all the pressing, 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 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 he 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.

TOWN: Charles-Cook, Preston, Robertson, Lancashire, Dunne, Banks, Iandolo, Gordon (Brophy 75), Anderson, Woolery (Mullin 70), Norris (Richards 63).

Not used: Henry, Purkiss, Knoyle, Taylor.

COVENTRY: Burge, Grimmer, Stokes, Willis, Doyle, Biamou, McNulty, Davies, Maguire-Drew (Kelly-Evans 66), Shipley, Bayliss.

Not used: O’Brien, McDonald, Beavon, Barrett, Stevenson, Ponticelli.

Referee: Stephen Martin.

Attendance: 8,643.

Booked: Town: Gordon; City: Grimmer.