Notts County's involvement in the Carling Cup ended at the First Round stage for this season, with the Magpies beaten 3-0 by Championship side Coventry City.

After a scoreless first period that had seen Notts arguably shade the exchanges, the home side upped the tempo and they took the lead straight from the restart with Dele Adebola slotting home, and as the Sky Blues took control in front of their own fans former Notts Centre of Excellence product Leon Best chipped home a second, followed by a third by sub Robbie Simpson late on.

Steve Thompson's men didn't thrown in the towel and despite what looks a convincing scoreline Notts can draw a number of positives from the game including their first-half performance and their attacking showing. Against a side two divisions higher and having spent heavily in the summer this was always going to be a real test for Notts, and they didn't make it an easy evening for Iain Dowie's side who were jeered for their performance in the first period.

Notts made a couple of changes to the side that faced Grimsby on Saturday, with Adam Tann, Austin McCann, Jay Smith and Hector Sam coming in for starts for Matt Somner, Gary Silk, Paul Mayo and Andy Parkinson. Myles Weston was named on the bench after recovering from his hamstring trouble which had plagued him throughout pre-season.

Coventry in turn named a strong side, with Robert Page, Stephen Hughes, Dele Adebola and former Notts youngster Leon Best among the players in the starting line-up, and it was the Sky Blues who kicked things off at the Ricoh Arena.

However, the Magpies could have had the lead before a minute was even on the clock. The recalled Austin McCann fired a terrific ball across the box from the left which skimmed across the wet surface and onto the head of Hector Sam, but from around six yards out the Trinidadian headed just over the crossbar when he should really have opened his Notts account.

As Notts continued their bright start Dudfield was played through on goal from the left-hand side by Smith with a smart diagonal ball on four minutes, but Hawkins got back in time to put Dudfield off slightly, certainly off balance, and a combination of the defender and goalkeeper Andy Marshall cleared the striker's effort for a corner kick.

Coventry's first effort came on seven minutes as one-time Notts target back in 2004 Adebola turned smartly in the box to shoot at goal from a narrow angle which Pilkington smothered well on the wet surface.

Notts were really applying the early pressure and getting themselves into some good offensive positions, and crosses from Lee and Sam tested the home defence with last-gasp clearances with the highly involved Dudfield lurking to grab his first of the season, but at the other end Notts were tested as Adebola came close again after Hughes robbed MacKenzie of possession just outside the Notts box, but again from a tight angle Adebola couldn't do enough.

Dudfield was seeing plenty of joy down the left of the 4-3-3 formation in the opening fifteen minutes and he skinned right-back Osbourne with some neat skill to play a smart ball across the box which Page had to stick out a toe to deny Jason Lee sneaking in to get an effort in, while Butcher sliced the follow-up well wide.

Coventry's best chances were coming when Notts were losing possession, and Coventry were quickly onto a loose Smith pass to win the ball back on twenty minutes and provide the lively Best with the ball at his feet, and despite beating Hunt with his quick-feet he dragged his effort wide of Pilkington's far post as he rushed his effort.

Pilkington pulled off a superb reaction save from Julian Gray on twenty-two minutes, diving across his goal to get two solid hands on the winger's effort from inside the box which came at some force with a powerful left-foot drive.

Notts were looking resolute at the back and still proving to be lively going forwards as the break approached, and a McCann corner caused danger just after the half-hour mark from the left, but with the ball itching to be stabbed home Stephen Hughes cleared from inside the six-yard box.

Best had the ball in the net after the half-hour mark but he was ruled to have been offside just before being played through on goal, much to the disappointment of the home fans who though they side had taken the lead.

Pilkington was a busy man in the Notts goal before the break, diving to deny Leon Best and Dele Adebola from inside the box, and then from range he flew across his goal to grab hold of Ellery Cairo's long-range free-kick.

Half-Time: Coventry City 0-0 Notts County

With the second-half a minute old the home side took the lead as Notts lost possession near their own penalty area, and Adebola was presented with the chance to run into the area, turn past Adam Tann and calmly slot the ball past Pilkington and into the back of the Magpies' net beyond the despairing dive of Notts goalkeeper who was given no chance with the effort.

The Magpies goalkeeper had to be alert in the driving rain to get down to stop Leon Best's effort on fifty-two minutes after good approach play by Adebola, with the home side clearly playing with a rocket up their backsides from the half-time interval.

Adebola was having a lively start to the second half and he blazed over when in a similar position to his goal on fifty-five minutes, with Notts having to change things around at the back with Adam Tann still suffering from a knock picked up before the break and that saw Gary Silk on in his place and Canoville moving to centre-back.

Doyle had the ball in the net for Coventry soon afterwards but it was ruled out for offside, and he soon tested Notts again with a long-range shot on fifty-eight which Pilkington palmed away and then gathered at the second attempt.

Weston was introduced to the front three for Sam on the hour for his first appearance since the end of July in the pre-season game against Forest when he sustained a hamstring injury.

However a few minutes later the home side added a second goal to their tally with Leon Best picked out with a ball over the top, and he evaded the offside trap this time to lift the ball over the advancing Pilkington and into the net despite the Notts goalkeeper getting a hand to the ball. He had been a saviour for Notts at times throughout the night, but even he couldn't stop Best netting his first Coventry goal on his home debut.

A third followed on seventy-eight as sub Robbie Simpson found space in the box following a cross into the box to skip the ball past Canoville and slam the ball into the back of the net, signalling no way back for Steve Thompson's side.

But just of that Notts didn't throw in the towel. Silk providing a testing ball in from the right which was met by a downward header by Lee which Marshall pushed away, while Pilkington continued to perform heroics in the Notts goal and made a good stop from Simpson's smart turn and shot with seven minutes left.

Jason Lee blazed over in injury-time under pressure from a Coventry defender, while Tabb was denied by another fine stop by a busy Pilkington.

There's no doubt Notts will be disappointed to lose this one and will possibly look back to the missed chances in the first period, but Steve Thompson confessed that he would happily swap a place in the Second Round for three points on Saturday at Meadow Lane against Brentford - and if that does happen, it won't have been such a bad week for the Magpies, who put in a spirited and full-blooded effort against a experienced Championship side destined to challenge towards the top of the table this season.

Full Time: Coventry City 3-0 Notts County

Coventry City: Marshall, Page, S Hughes, Doyle (C), Adebola (Simpson 73) , Cairo (Birchall 64), Osbourne, Hawkins, Best, Gray (Tabb 70), Borrowdale.
Subs Not Used: Konstantopolous, Ward.
Booked: Adebola, Best.
Sent Off: None.
Goals: Adebola 47, Best 67, Simpson 78.

Notts County: Pilkington, Canoville, Tann (Silk 51), Hunt, McCann, Smith, MacKenzie, Butcher, Lee, Dudfield (Weir-Daley 76), Sam (Weston 62).
Subs Not Used: Somner, Sandercombe.
Booked: Butcher.
Sent Off: None.
Goals: None.

Match Referee: Mr R Lee

Attendance: 6,735 (606 Notts County Fans)

nottscountyfc.co.uk Man of the Match: Kevin Pilkington