Mark Robins paid tribute to nearly 2,500 travelling Coventry fans after his team progressed to the second round of the Carabao Cup with a narrow 1-0 victory over Bristol City at Ashton Gate.

Ellis Simms was the match-winner seconds after coming on as a 63rd-minute substitute.

The striker latched onto a through ball from former Bristol midfielder Kasey Palmer and buried a low right-footed drive from 12 yards.

Robins said: “Our fans are different class. They fight for us and we fight for them.

“To have 2,500 of them in a 10,000 crowd was unbelievable. I was disappointed we couldn’t reward them on Saturday and pleased it happened tonight.

“The clean sheet is as important as the win. It was a tough game and we are having a few teething problems at the moment.

“Eventually, we want to play flowing football, but it can’t always be that way.

“We were a bit unsure at times, but it’s early season and important to show we can win when not at our best.”

Robins head coach Liam Manning took the positives from the knockout, saying: “First half we played some really good stuff and carried a real threat.

“They pressed higher in the second half and we didn’t deal with that well enough.

“There were lots of positives though and I’m confident that if we keep getting into such good areas, we will start converting our chances.

“Sam Bell felt a twinge like a cramp and Jason Knight was OK. We took him off at half-time to ease his workload and because Joe Williams needed minutes.”