The Sky Blues secured a superb victory and huge three points against the RamsA single goal from Max Biamou gave Coventry City a magnificent three points against fellow relegation battlers Derby County.
The Sky Blues capitalised on a Rams’ mistake to take the early lead at St Andrew’s where they showed terrific character to maintain their advantage and see out some nerve-racking late pressure.
City were guilty of giving the ball away far too freely in the opening ten minutes but otherwise started with plenty of determination and attacking intent.
And their early endeavour and work-rate paid off when Callum O’Hare intercepted a dreadful pass from full-back Nathan Byrne and slipped it to Biamou who drove forward into the box where he slotted past goalkeeper Kelle Roos to give City an 11th minute lead.
Good hold up play from the striker almost sparked a second shortly after when Fankaty Dabo was played down the right where he sent in a teasing cross which the Frenchman stretched but couldn’t connect with.
Coventry were forced to weather a string of set-pieces midway through the half, sparked by a poor pass from goalkeeper Ben Wilson that resulted in Patrick Roberts having a free hit at goal, only for it to be blocked out for a corner.
Wilson made a crucial block with his boot to deny centre-back Matt Clarke an equaliser as the home side defended further threatening dead balls into the box – the big defender heading wide at the far post as he proved to be the Rams biggest goal threat in the first half.
The balance of play swung back in City’s favour towards the end of the half when Leo Ostigard headed over from a corner after some excellent pressure from the outstanding Biamou to force the set-piece.
And the Sky Blues deserved their half-time lead after a decent opening 45 full of fight and the battling qualities required in a relatively tight encounter with their relegation rivals.
Mark Robin’s men started the second period the way they had ended the first, threatening from a corner which led to a free-kick and another flag kick as they went looking for the all important second goal.
Wayne Rooney’s men rarely created any meaningful attacks with set-pieces their best chance of getting back in the game, while racking up their yellow card count with Colin Kazim-Richards finally punished for his persistent fouling as they attempted to bully their opponents.
Kazim-Richards did get his head to a Lee Buchanan cross just after the hour but put it wide under pressure from Kyle McFadzean, while Dom Hyam couldn’t get enough power on a header to trouble the keeper at the other end in a game they was becoming wide open midway through the second half.
City went agonisingly close to extending their lead after a lovely build-up resulted in Matty James hitting a superb effort that pinged off the post as the home side enjoyed a decent spell of possession and pressure.
The pendulum swung back the other way again as the Rams launched a fight-back after making three changes, and resulting in some desperate defending as City hung on to the slender lead and played on the counter attack, almost snatching a second on the break when O’Hare sprang Biamou upfield, with the centre-forward hitting an angled shot that fizzed agonisingly wide of the far post when it looked like it was going to hit the back of the net.
Josh Pask and Jamie Allen replaced the fading Dabo and Hamer, who was treading a tightrope after picking up an early yellow card.
Derby were in the ascendancy and continued to push for an equaliser in the last ten minutes which made for nervous watching, particularly when the visitors enjoyed a series of corners and free-kicks.
But City managed the game well, seeing out four minutes of stoppage time to secure a superb victory.