Tranmere Rovers were beaten 4-1 by Coventry City at Prenton Park in Sky Bet League One on New Year’s Day.

TRFC found themselves two behind through goals in the opening 17 minutes through Matt Godden and Jordan Shipley.

Connor Jennings pulled one back for the hosts with a well-taken finish as Rovers went into the break trailing narrowly.

After the break, Morgan Ferrier missed a penalty for Tranmere before Godden netted further two as he scored his hat-trick.

Manager Micky Mellon brought in George Ray in place of the injured Manny Monthe at centre-back, as David Perkins captained the side.

Academy graduate Kyle Hayde was also named on the substitutes bench for the first time.

Coventry had the first effort on goal of the contest early on, with Liam Kelly striking from distance which was straight into Aaron Chapman’s grasp.

Mark Robins’ Sky Blues led inside three minutes when Godden steered his unmarked header from past Chapman following Liam Walsh’s cross from the right.

In response, Neil Danns and Jennings linked up well for Rovers, before Kieron Morris’ driven ball into a dangerous position was cleared away.

Zain Westbrooke went close for the visitors when he swept a first-time shot just over the upright after Fankaty Dabo’s pass had evaded Ray and Sid Nelson.

But Coventry did have their second through midfielder Shipley on 17 minutes, who controlled Kelly’s cross on the right-side of the box to aim his effort into the bottom left-corner.

Corey Blackett-Taylor and Ferrier both later had chances charged down, as Tranmere looked for a route back into it.

And Jennings halved the deficit with 36 minutes played, bending right-footed which beat Marko Marosi to find the bottom left-corner.

Tranmere began the second half positively and came very close to levelling when Jennings’ snapshot from Ferrier’s low cross was scrambled off the line.

Morris then forced Marosi to push his powerful half-volley around for a corner, with Rovers playing with tempo.

Mellon’s men were awarded a penalty after Ray was pushed to the turf by Dabo following Morris’ set-piece.

Up-stepped Ferrier, who thumped his penalty high and off target, which squandered an opportunity for Rovers to level.

And Rovers were made to pay when Godden placed a firm drive across goal and under Chapman which found the bottom left corner having been fed through by Callum O’Hare.

O’Hare later saw his goal-bound attempt deflected away for a corner, while Kelly also shot wide, as Coventry searched for a fourth.

Up the other end, Jennings curled straight into Marosi’s hands – before Ray conceded an injury-time penalty for a foul on O’Hare.

Godden completed his hat-trick from the resulting spot-kick, finding the bottom right-corner.

Next up for Rovers is an Emirates FA Cup third-round tie away to Premier League outfit Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday.

TRFC: Chapman, Caprice, Nelson, Ray, Woods, Perkins ©, Danns, Morris, Jennings, Blackett-Taylor (Mullin 70) Ferrier

Subs not used: Pilling, Spellman, Walker-Rice, Hayde, Potter, Payne