Goals from Giovani Dos Santos and Pablo Couñago saw the Blues to a 2-1 final day victory over Coventry City. After a very strong first half, Town were less dominant after the break and Leon Best pulled one back for the visitors.

Boss Roy Keane made two changes to his side for his inaugural home game, Jon Stead coming in up front and Tommy Smith surprisingly making his first senior appearance since the opening day of the season. The 19-year-old, who has only played three reserve games since breaking his ankle in August, came in at left-back, where he has played for the second string and previously for the England U18s. Matt Richards and Iván Campo dropped out.

With the Portman Road pitch looking as good as it did on the first day of the season, it was Coventry's Robbie Simpson who struck the game's opening salvo, but the ball flew wide of Richard Wright's post.

For the Blues, Pablo Couñago curled a 14th minute 25-yard effort just wide, then seven minutes later Jon Stead had the ball in the net, but was adjudged to be offside by a linesman who would make one or two more questionable calls against well-placed Town players during the half.

A minute later both David Norris and Kevin Lisbie were close to getting on the end of a Jaime Peters cross from the right as the Blues continued much as they had left off at Cardiff last week.

On 23 their impressive start was rewarded with a goal. Giovani Dos Santos, who created danger throughout with his pace, cut in from the right and struck a shot from the edge of the area which clipped Ben Turner and beat keeper Keiren Westwood to his right.

Two minutes later, it was two. A Lisbie cross from the left deflected to Stead, whose shot on the turn struck a defender and landed at Couñago's feet, the Spaniard having no trouble in beating Westwood again to claim his 11th goal of the season.

Just before the half hour, Clinton Morrison got his name in the book for petulantly slamming the ball into the ground after having been penalised for handball, then Lisbie hit a shot through to Westwood from a tight angle.

Stead shot straight at the former Carlisle keeper with the Blues looking like they could go on to score five or six by the end against a Coventry side which, a Leon Best header straight to Richard Wright aside, wasn't looking overly interested.

Owen Garvan went wide on 37, then just before the break Simpson again shot across the face of the Town goal.

By now, the Blues support was in full voice celebrating Norwich City's impending doom at the hands of Charlton with the score 3-0 to the Addicks by the time referee Graham Laws blew his half-time whistle. The Coventry supporters even started a Mexican wave, which eventually spread all around the ground, although Roy Keane didn't appear to join in.

The Blues thoroughly deserved their lead at the break having again played at a greater tempo than in previous weeks, creating plenty of openings. The pace of Dos Santos and Peters was always a threat, while Couñago, Stead and Lisbie, who was playing wide on the left, kept the visiting defence busy.

Coventry came close to getting a goal back three minutes into the second half when a long throw reached Freddy Eastwood at the far post but Pim Balkestein did well to deflect his effort over. From the corner, Jermaine Grandison's shot was blocked by Alex Bruce.

Town ought to have increased their lead in the 51st minute when Stead cut the ball back from the right, but somehow Norris managed to hit the bar from six yards with the goal gaping. Dos Santos, who was also chasing in on Stead's lay-back, was injured in the incident and required several minutes' treatment before carrying on.

Eight minutes later the Mexican eventually did make way, Danny Haynes replacing him, with the former Barcelona man playing for the Blues probably for the final time. The Spurs loanee seemed to grow in confidence as his time with the Blues went on and put in his best two performances in his loan spell's final two weeks.

Haynes nearly made it three on 74 but his lob went with wide Westwood having made an ill-advised rush from the line. Alan Quinn replaced Pablo Couñago.

The Sky Blues pulled a goal back on 79, Leon Best flicking in a corner off Jaime Peters. Veliche Shumulikoski took over from Kevin Lisbie, who did well in his left-sided role, for the final six minutes.

Tommy Smith blocked a Eastwood effort in the 85th minute, Wright tipping the looping ball over the bar.

Haynes again came close to his first league goal of the season moments later but Westwood blocked as he ran into the area and the former England U19 international couldn't get the final touch on the loose ball.

In injury time, Robbie Simpson almost grabbed a point for the visitors with a freekick which beat Wright but which struck the angle of post and bar.

But a draw would have flattered the Sky Blues, who had been comprehensively out-played by Town in the first half. The second period was a typical end of season match with the Blues somewhat running out of steam, although they probably should have added to their goals.

Many on the terraces spent much of the half cheering on Norwich City's demise as Charlton won 4-2 to send the Canaries down. The final seconds on the Portman Road scoreboard were counted down after chants of "They're going down in a minute”, before news that Barnsley had won at Plymouth confirmed Norwich's relegation.

The Town squad went to the dressing rooms before re-emerging for the traditional end of year lap of honour, along with new boss Roy Keane.

The Irishman will be pleased with the way his first two games have gone with his players showing a greater intensity than in the final days of Jim Magilton's reign.

Keane has lined his team up in a more attacking manner playing at a quicker tempo with Peters in particular getting forward from right-back and adding much needed pace to the team. David Norris's switch to the centre of midfield has also been one of the more impressive aspects of the two end of season displays, while Jon Stead and Pablo Couñago both put in busy shifts up front.

Tommy Smith did as well as could have been expected after such a lengthy absence and in an unfamiliar role, with his surprise selection perhaps illustrating that his new manager very much likes what he has seen of the defender in his first few days in charge.

An end to the season which sees the players looking more confident and winning three games in a row for the first time since March 2007, while off the field the 27,225 crowd illustrated the sense of anticipation amongst supporters that an end to Town's seven-year stay in the Championship may be on the way next season.

The Roy Keane factor seems to have galvanised the squad in his first couple of weeks in charge. The summer will see one or two ins and outs before the Keane era proper starts in earnest in August.

Town: R Wright, Peters, Smith, Balkestein, Bruce, Garvan, Norris, Dos Santos (Haynes 63), Lisbie (Shumulikoski 84), Couñago (Quinn 74), Stead. Unused: Bialkowski, Richards. Att: 27,225.

Photo: Action Images

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