OXFORD United suffered Wembley heartache for the second successive season as Coventry City claimed the Checkatrade Trophy in front of more than 74,000 spectators.

Gael Bigirimana gave the Sky Blues a half-time lead which was doubled by George Thomas’s sweet strike ten minutes after the break.

United had struggled to find their rhythm against a side 27 points below them in the Sky Bet League One table, but were given hope 15 minutes from time.

Substitute Liam Sercombe halved the deficit, giving them time to stage a grandstand finish and force extra-time.

Rob Hall had a shot saved, before deep into stoppage-time City goalkeeper Lee Burge brilliantly saved from Josh Ruffels, before Bigirimana blocked Phil Edwards’s rebound on the line.

And just as against Barnsley in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy 12 months earlier, the final whistle came with United pushing in vain.

Chris Maguire was passed fit to take his place in the starting line-up following a hip injury.

He and Ryan Ledson, back from England Under-20s duty, came into the side for Ruffels, who dropped to the bench, and the cup-tied Conor McAleny.

Supporters had been soaking up the Wembley atmosphere for hours before kick-off, but when the game began the Sky Blues fans had more to cheer early on.

While Bigirimana shot wide with the game’s first chance, the midfielder made no mistake when a ricochet fell his way in the 11th minute.

Jordan Willis’s cross from the right was volleyed by Stuart Beavon into Curtis Nelson and the ball fell kindly for Bigirimana to slot home from eight yards.

United shook off the setback and went on to control possession for much of the half-hour up to half-time.

They were patient on the ball, but found it difficult to break down a Coventry side who packed men behind the ball to protect their lead.

One of their clearest chances before half-time fell to John Lundstram after Chey Dunkley had headed Maguire’s free-kick across goal.

The U’s skipper headed goalwards, but Bigirimana was again in the right place at the right time and cleared.

Coventry’s attacks were more sporadic, but they had more purpose when they got into the final third than their opponents.

Kyel Reid was a lively presence on their left flank, while City’s work rate was epitomised by Stuart Beavon, who almost got in when he blocked a Nelson pass, but the ball ran through to Simon Eastwood.

Kane Hemmings was a willing runner in behind and on the half-hour mark United appealed for a penalty when he went down under pressure from Ryan Haynes.

The Yellow Army at the opposite end of the ground roared for a spot kick, but it would have been soft and referee Chris Sarginson awarded a corner.

Michael Appleton’s men continued to probe around City’s box up to the interval.

While the football was neat, they desperately needed someone to put their foot through the ball and try their luck.

The first half passed without them having a shot on target and their problems were summed up nine minutes before the break, when Joe Rothwell and Phil Edwards turned down shooting chances, letting Coventry off the hook.

City regrouped at the break and came out on the front foot.

Thomas broke the offside trap five minutes after the restart, but could not bring the ball under control, allowing Dunkley to recover and concede a corner.

The midfielder got his shot away two minutes later when a quickly-taken corner found him in space, but Eastwood tipped the rising drive over the crossbar.

From the resulting corner, United cleared and a clever pass from Maguire sent Hemmings racing away, but instead of shooting he tried to beat the last man and stumbled.

Within two minutes, the lead was doubled.

Poor defending allowed Reid to get in down the left flank and his cross found Thomas, who controlled the ball on the edge of the box before smashing a low shot into the far corner past Eastwood’s despairing dive.

Ledson was quickly withdrawn for the more attack-minded Sercombe, but United’s fitful display continued.

City goalkeeper Lee Burge was finally called into action to deny Hall and a free-kick from Maguire, but the U’s lacked a spark.

It was delivered to them by the substitute 15 minutes from time.

Maguire won a cheap corner, which came out to Sercombe 20 yards out, where the midfielder did superbly to fire the bouncing ball through a crowded penalty area and into the far corner.

Eastwood quickly saved from Lameiras, before United carved out a glorious chance to equalise when Rothwell sent Hall clear, only for Burge to make a big save.

There was still 12 minutes left – ample time to forge another chance.

City were only worried deep into stoppage-time, when a corner caused panic in the six-yard box.

Ruffels’s header was kept out one-handed by Burge, but Edwards looked certain to put in the rebound, only for Bigirimana to block on the line and ensure the trophy had Coventry’s name on it for the first time.

Oxford Utd (4-4-2): Eastwood, Edwards, Nelson, Dunkley, Johnson, Hall, Lundstram, Ledson, Rothwell, Maguire, Hemmings.

Subs used: Sercombe (Ledson 57), Ruffels (Rothwell 90).

Unused subs: Stevens, Ribeiro, Skarz, Long, Carroll.

Booked: Dunkley, Sercombe.

Coventry C (4-2-3-1): Burge, Willis (Kelly-Evans 60), Stokes, Turnbull, Haynes, Bigirimana, Stevenson, Thomas (Jones 81), Lameiras, Reid, Beavon (Tudgay 90).

Unused subs: Charles-Cook, Gadzhev, Folivi, Harries.

Booked: Bigirimana.

Referee: Chris Sarginson (Staffordshire).

Attendance: 74,434.