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The £1.5 million recruit from Wolves looked sharp as he scored with composed finishes in each half of the Sky Blues pre-season friendly.

Eastwood was partnered up-front by Leon Best as City kicked-off with a strong starting line-up, possibly the same 11 who will be running out at the Ricoh Arena on 9 August against Norwich.

The team included trialist Stephen Wright who comfortably slotted in at right-back, adding experience to Coventry’s youthful defence. City’s other potential new signing Clinton Morrison missed out after being rested to recover from hip and groin injuries.

Blue Square Premiership team Cambridge United looked a cohesive unit and had certainly come out to compete, as Jay Tabb found out after being on the receiving end of a crunching tackle, minutes after kick-off.

Chris Coleman

The teams were evenly matched early on, with Cambridge slightly having the better possession. Elliot Ward and captain for the day Scott Dann looked solid and stemmed any potential danger.

Led by the industrious Aron Gunnarsson, the Sky Blues midfield soon took control of the game and made Cambridge pay with their first clear opportunity on goal. After a long ball had been cushioned down by Tabb, Eastwood picked the ball up 20 yards out with his back to goal.

With no other options available, he twisted and turned creating himself enough space to squeeze in a low shot, which flew past goalkeeper Danny Potter and nestled into the corner of the Cambridge goal, giving the Sky Blues the lead on 13 minutes.Ìý

City doubled their advantage on 26 minutes after Best was bundled over a few yards outside the Cambridge area. Eastwood confidently placed the ball down looking to double his tally, but it was Danny Fox who stepped up, whipping the ball over the wall, curling it into the corner to make it 2-0.

Cambridge responded positively but the City defence was resolute and, with a fine example of counter attacking, Eastwood showed he has more to his game than goals with a 70 yard cross-field pass which released the lively Leon Best on the left who pulled back to Julian Gray but his shot was deflected wide.

City would have gone into half-time with a narrower lead if it wasn’t for a fine save from teenage goalkeeper Danny Ireland. The best chance Cambridge carved out, and the only time they did manage to get in behind Sky Blues back line, Andy Parkinson was clear on goal and after seemingly going past the young stopper, Ireland sharply recovered to block his shot, and then smother the loose ball.

Ireland was a late inclusion in the City team after Kieran Westwood pulled his calf muscle in the warm-up, and saved smartly again in the second half, diving full length across his area to block Josh Coulson’s firmly struck attempt after Parkinson’s cross.

Scott Dann

However, it was to be Freddy’s day, and he gave City a three-goal advantage when Leon Best’s driving run from deep resulted in a shot being deflected into Eastwood’s path. Rather than a rushed shot on goal, Eastwood shimmied past one defender and cut outside another before flicking the ball past Potter with the outside of his right foot, capping off an impressive performance.

Eastwood was replaced by Leon McKenzie to a standing ovation from the 416 Sky Blues’ fans in attendance, and Best was replaced by the returning Robbie Simpson to a similar reaction from the Cambridge United support.

And that wasn’t all the Cambridge supporters had to cheer about, as they grabbed a consolation goal after being awarded a penalty when Fox pushed Ben Farrell. Farrell stepped up to send Ireland the wrong way.

The Sky Blues threatened to score a fourth, and Cambridge’s Mark Beesley tested Ireland’s reactions with a long range effort late on.

All in all, a productive work-out for Chris Coleman’s squad shortly before they head up to Scotland for final preparations ahead of the season opener against the Canaries.

Sky Blues Starting XI: Danny Ireland, Danny Fox, Elliot Ward, Scott Dann, Stephen Wright, Julian Gray, Aron Gunnarsson (Kevin Thornton 85mins), Guilaume Beuzelin, Jay Tabb, Leon Best (Robbie Simpson 68mins), Freddy Eastwood (Leon McKenzie 73mins). Subs not used: Marcus Hall, Ben Turner.