Poor first half, much improved after the breakCoventry City slipped to their 13th Championship defeat, losing 2-0 to league leaders Norwich City in a game of two contrasting halves at St Andrew’s.
Daniel Farke’s men dominated the first half, during which star striker Teemu Pukki gave them the lead and set up Emi Buendia for the second before the break.
But the Sky Blues came out fighting in the second half when they created a string of chances but just couldn’t find the clinical touch to beat Tim Krul in the opposition goal – a 45 minutes that should give them confidence going into the weekend.
City flooded the middle of the park with midfielders as they set out to contain the Canaries early on as the visitors enjoyed plenty of possession and knocked the ball about confidently.
And they had a huge let off in the 12th minute when Teemu Pukki and Todd Cantwell broke clear with the striker passing to his team-mate across the keeper but the forward tripped over and the ball was cleared.
Coventry’s first chance came in the 17th minute when Tyler Walker was brought down after running onto an incisive Callum O’Hare pass, the striker being fouled by centre-back Grant Hanley, who was shown the yellow card.
But the resulting free-kick some 30-yards out from goal saw Gus Hamer thump the ball into the Norwich wall.
Their first chance from open play came from a decent cross in from Julien Dacosta which Callum O’Hare got his head to under pressure in the six-yard box where he could only send it over the bar.
The home side had another let off when Pukki went down in the box under a challenge from Kyle McFadzean amid screams for a penalty from the Norwich camp.
But the visitors’ star striker punished his opponents just short of the half hour mark when a Coventry attack broke down and Norwich hit them on the counter attack, the striker played through on the right where he picked his spot across goalkeeper Ben Wilson to give his side the lead and take his season’s tally to 14.
And Pukki was instrumental again as Norwich extended their lead on the stroke of half-time when he pressed McFadzean who lost the ball, allowing the predatory front man to race clear and slip the ball to Emi Buendia to score in the box.
Robins responded at the break by sending on Leo Ostigard for Michael Rose and switching to two up top by adding Max Biamou in place of midfielder Jamie Allen.
And the Sky Blues certainly looked a lot livelier as they started the second half with a lot more purpose with Dacosta playing a lovely through ball to O’Hare who was denied by Tim Krul, before Gus Hamer struck a sweet shot from 25 yards out that flew inches wide of the left-hand post.
Chances were now coming thick and fast for the home side as Hamer drove forward and tested the keeper with a low shot before substitute Josh Pask, who replaced Dacosta, sent a header into the keeper’s arms.
But the visitors held firm, playing on the counter attack when a long ball over the top found full-back Max Aarons who was denied by a decent save by Wilson.