Kevin Lisbie scored two goals as the Blues twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at Coventry. Town, who went a goal down in the opening minute, will have felt aggrieved at Freddy Eastwood's second goal when Richard Naylor appeared to have been fouled.

Town lined-up 4-5-1 with Kevin Lisbie up front, Jon Stead on the left of midfield with Danny Haynes on the right and David Norris, Alan Quinn and Tommy Miller in the centre.

Jon Walters, Pablo Couñago and Darren Ambrose moved to the bench with Veliche Shumulikoski dropping out of the 16. The flu bug which has affected the squad in recent weeks has continued to hit various members of the squad this week and may have affected Jim Magilton's selection.

Town were behind within 40 seconds of the match starting. A ball over the top found Clinton Morrison in space in the Town area. Gareth McAuley and Richard Naylor got across to the former Crystal Palace man but the Irish international still managed to find the net.

Conceding an early goal was the last thing the under-pressure Blues needed, but quickly the visitors started to get on top, Stead hitting a low shot which Coventry keeper Kieren Westwood saved.

Kevin Lisbie got the Blues back on terms on 11, forcing his way tenaciously through a couple of tackles on the edge of the area before beating Westwood.

Town were now in the ascendant and four minutes later, Stead cut in from the left and hit a right-foot shot which was saved.

The Blues were having most of the ball but without creating too much, while Coventry looked a threat on the break but again without causing Richard Wright too many problems.

Just before the half hour, Tommy Miller hit a low shot through to Westwood, then Lisbie had a header deflected over from a Quinn cross.

Haynes saw a shot deflect wide off Lisbie, prior to a scare for the Blues at the other end. Freddy Eastwood twisted and turned his way past Moritz Volz on the byline, bringing the ball inside and hitting a shot which slammed against Richard Wright's left post and away.

Gareth McAuley, who at times still appeared to be hampered by the shin injury picked up against Cardiff last week, almost inadvertently played in Morrison on 41, but Richard Naylor got across the clear.

Daniel Fox struck a freekick straight through to Wright from 30 yards, prior to Naylor sending Lisbie away with a ball over the top, the striker hitting the advancing Westwood with his shot and referee Rob Styles inexplicably awarding a goalkick, despite the ball very clearly hitting the ex-Carlisle glovesman.

Despite another poor start and Coventry hitting the woodwork through Eastwood, Town had enjoyed the better of the half possession-wise if without creating a huge number of chances. The home side's more dangerous moments generally came on the break.

The Blues might have gone ahead in the fourth minute of the second period. Lisbie was sent away on goal, but with three defenders in attention, the former Colchester man failed to get in a decent strike at goal and Westwood saved.

Coventry went ahead in the 55th minute in controversial circumstances. Freddy Eastwood appeared to foul Richard Naylor as the pair chased a long ball, but referee Styles's whistle failed to materialise and the ex-Grays Athletic striker ran through into the area and scored. An unimpressed Naylor spoke to the referee at length at the next set piece.

The goal was harsh on the Blues who had started the half much the stronger side. But for once Town seemed unaffected by the goal and kept pressing, David Wright shooting over and then Jon Stead heading over from a corner.

Town got back on terms in the 65th minute. Mifsud looped the ball weakly towards his keeper under pressure and Lisbie won the race with Westwood to scoop the ball over the keeper and into the net for his sixth goal of the season.

The Blues deserved the goal and went looking for a winner, but not before Tommy Miller and Alan Quinn had got their names in the referee's book for fouls, the Irishman seeming to enjoy an ongoing battle with Coventry midfielder Aron Gunnarson.

Eastwood went close to getting a third for the home side with a shot from the right which struck McAuley, beat Wright and hit the bar before Naylor headed clear. Lisbie had the ball in the net again in the 71st minute but the flag had been raised. Stead hit a 35-yard effort which was saved.

For the Sky Blues, Elliott Ward flicked a header wide from a corner with the game increasingly open and end to end.

Westwood saved from Haynes, then Eastwood shot well over after Stead had been caught in possession deep inside his own half. Ambrose replaced Quinn for the final 10 minutes.

Stead sent a dangerous ball across the six-yard box on 84 but too far ahead of Lisbie, Haynes injuring himself as he lost his footing as he scraped his shot wide, Jon Walters taking over.

Lisbie cut the ball across from the right, the ball rolling out to Walters, whose shot was deflected over. From the corner, Lisbie's header was cleared off the line by Gunnarsson. The ball ran out to Norris on the edge of the area, but his shot was blocked. Coventry broke quickly but Mifsud shot wide.

Town again came close to a winner in the 88th minute when Ambrose unleashed a 35-yard strike which Westwood failed to hold. Walters seized on the loose ball but Westwood saved his strike at point blank range with Lisbie unmarked in the centre looking for the pass.

Pablo Couñago took over from an exhausted-looking Jon Stead on 89 with Lisbie looking similarly short of running.

The home side had the better of the closing stages and Richard Naylor made an important late saving tackle on Morrison prior to the final whistle.

Both sets of fans will have left the game thinking their side could have won with chances at either end. Defensively, neither manager was likely to have been entirely pleased, while the Blues will have been unhappy that referee Rob Styles failed to award a foul against Eastwood for his push on Naylor in the lead up to the second goal.

Town battled well in midfield with Quinn, Miller and Norris tenacious throughout and overall had most of the ball. Kevin Lisbie took his goals well, but might have scored more, although the ex-Charlton man looked a much more confident player than he has in recent weeks.

A decent enough away performance which might have been turned into a victory, although the home side will also feel they had enough opportunities to win it.

Town: R Wright, D Wright, Volz, McAuley, Naylor, Quinn (Ambrose 80), Norris, Miller, Stead (Couñago 89), Haynes (Walters 84), Lisbie. Unused: Supple, Balkestein. Att:15,598.

Photo: Action Images

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