Town scored a dramatic winner in injury time at Highfield Road to return to fifth in the table. Just about everyone had decided that a draw was probably on the face of it, a fair result when Fabian Wilnis popped up on the end of a Martijn Reuser cross to head past Kirkland in the Coventry goal.
The Blues lined up as they did last week at home to Charlton, Jermaine Wright overcame his flu bug while James Scowcroft continued up front with Marcus Stewart.
The first half was a scrappy affair with Coventry seeking to pack the midfield and upset Town’s passing. This they did well and the Blues failed to get into anything like their normal rhythm. The home side were also playing balls into channels for Craig Bellamy and Roussel to run on to which caused the Town defence some trouble. However, Mark Venus and John McGreal were usually alert to the danger and the only chances to speak of were a few shots from outside the area from Hadji and David Thompson.
Town’s best efforts came from Marcus Stewart. First he took down a long kick from Richard Wright, turned and then shot goalwards. Kirkland tipped the ball round the post. From the resulting corner the ball was cleared but then pumped in for the Town striker who tried to loop the ball home only for the Coventry keeper to intercept.
Half-time came with the Blues still well below par and with a change of formation to 4-4-2 already affected. Coventry’s packing of the midfield had prevented Town getting the ball wide and neither wing/full back had managed to get forward as much as they generally do.
Oddest controversy of the half was the Coventry fans’ appeals that Mark Venus was taking his corners from outside of the quadrant. Clearly they’d been watching too much TV at the weekend. Other controversies centred around some dodgy linesman decisions at both ends and David Elleray’s as usual pompous refereeing performance.
The second half saw the Blues start much the brighter. An early period pressure saw no real clear-cut opportunities, but the impetus was clearly with Town.
Coventry were having their moments too, mainly with pacy breaks forward. David Thompson had a freekick from about thirty-five yards brilliantly saved by Richard Wright. Particularly eagle-eyed blues might for a moment have had flashbacks of the early stages of May’s play-off final as the ball bounced back off the post on to Wright’s head. Fortunately this time the ball went wide.
Jermaine Wright and Marcus Stewart were looking Town’s best players in attack with both putting in a lot of work. At the back the defence was looking solid. John McGreal injured his leg when colliding with a post whilst heading the ball away from danger after a Paul Telfer effort was saved by Richard Wright. He tried to carry on, but he was replaced by Titus Bramble. Surprisingly Jermaine Wright was also substituted with Martijn Reuser coming on.
Fabian Wilnis was booked for a challenge down the Town right when it looked very much as Hadji was getting in some swimming practice. This was only Town’s ninth booking of the season. Titus Bramble was lucky not to get added to the book for a rather clumsy challenge. David Elleray presumably took into account that Bramble had only just come on and just had a word with the Town sub.
Martijn Reuser spent the early part of his time on the pitch calling in vain for the ball as colleagues failed to see him in his wide on the right position. However, as he was noticed his contribution became more important.
As the end came it was largely Town in possession with a number of crosses coming into the Coventry box. Unfortunately most were harmlessly straight down the throat of Kirkland.
Coventry went close after Craig Bellamy, booed all night by the Town faithful, ran down the left and past Titus Bramble. He put in a cross and Thompson headed over when he perhaps could have done better.
By this stage some sections of the Coventry crowd were calling for the manager’s head with other sections still singing that they were "Strachan’s army”. They were clearly frustrated at how the game was progressing. Several times the Sky Blues tried to find ways through Town, but ended up having to pass the ball back to Kirkland for him to punt clear.
Finally a goal came for Town. Fabian Wilnis laid the ball wide and continued his run into the area. Martijn Reuser crossed the ball in and Wilnis, who hadn’t been picked up by a defender, glanced the ball to Kirkland’s right and into the corner of the net. He was engulfed by Town players as the travelling supporters went wild. Coventry’s fans were in the main stunned with that sickening feeling that a last minute goal against you brings.
Less than a minute later the whistle went on another Town away win and Town were up to fifth place. It was by no means a great performance, one to rank alongside the defeats to Leicester and Aston Villa. However, it is the result that is all important and Town got another three points. Relegation fears continue to fade away as dreams of Europe begin to look like a real possibility.