Kyle Lightbourne, his confidence low after failing to command a starting spot in Coventry City's first team, has been knocking in the goals for the reserves.

The lanky Bermuda striker thought things had turned around for him following an impressive performance in the Coca Cola Cup against Everton.

But after being substituted in the next game against Barnsley which was televised in Bermuda, Lightbourne has either been on the substitutes' bench or out of the first team squad altogether.

"I'm disappointed I haven't been playing the way I know I can play,'' said Lightbourne earlier this week as he prepared for a reserve team match against Sunderland.

In eight reserve matches Lightbourne has scored eight goals and has been named as a substitute for the first team in the last two games, which Coventry lost.

"I just need to find a bit of form,'' said Lightbourne who has still not scored for the first team since his 500,000 summer transfer from Walsall.

"It's difficult when you're not playing every week.

"I played against Everton in the cup and did really well when we beat them 4-1. Then I played against Barnsley and since then they have had Dion (Dublin) and (Darren) Huckerby back fit so I haven't been involved.

"I've been sub but not getting on so it's difficult to get a rhythm going.'' Manager Gordon Strachan has been encouraging Lightbourne through the tough period. "He spoke to me last week and told me I had been looking sharp in training and to keep going and my chance will come,'' said Lightbourne who at this stage last season had already scored 11 goals for Second Division Walsall.

However, while Walsall played to Lightbourne's strengths, the Bermudian international has found himself having to adapt to a different style at his new club where the attack is built around Dublin.

"They are asking me to do things a bit different,'' he explained. "At Walsall we looked to play on the break a lot so we were playing more one touch and trying to get behind teams.

"At Coventry it's a slower build-up and the pace is a bit slower. I think I'm adjusting to it but for me as a striker I like the ball to be played early.

Around the box you have to take it around your feet but I like to get the ball in front of me so that I can attack defenders.'' Lightbourne is using the reserves to sharpen his game, though the standard there isn't as high as he would like.

"It's not as high as the Second Division,'' he admitted. "You are always playing with different people in the reserves so it's hard to get any rhythm.

"You get probably 1,000 people there, sometimes 300 and sometimes just one man and his dog. But you have to keep your spirits high, it could all change overnight.'' Kyle Lightbourne