Bristol City 2 Coventry City 1

Last updated : 01 January 2008 By Footymad Previewer
Bristol City held off a spirited fightback by Coventry to keep their place in the big Premier League chase.

After building a two-goal lead with an early strike from Darren Byfield and a second-half header by Marvin Elliott, they thought the game was theirs.

But Dele Adebola fired up Coventry with a goal 18 minutes from the end and they only missed out on a point when Leon Best rolled his shot against a post after beating the keeper.

With the Robins' football bubbling with self-belief it took Coventry a long time to hit their stride.

It took the arrival of Elliott Ward at half-time to stiffen their defence while Kevin Thornton could have been used earlier than he was, as his running at defenders unsteadied the hosts.

Coventry don't do clean sheets and were a goal down at the start of the fifth minute, courtesy of a thumping left-footed 18-yard drive by Byfield.

Bristol City had twice been stopped by the offside flag but this time David Noble got through and, although his shot was blocked, the ball fell nicely for Byfield.

The home side were good value for their goal and, with Noble always an influence on the action, they cut through Coventry time and again winning corners but not finding a telling finish until Elliott's header from their sixth corner in the 67th minute.

Adebola put himself about as he always does but Coventry had to rely on first-half free-kicks around the box to give them any hope.

The best of their dead-ball chances came from Best although, in open play, Michael Doyle drew a dive out of Bristol City's Brazilian keeper Adriano Basso.

There was an early booking for Coventry's Michael Mifsud and the midfielder was lucky to stay on when he then brought down Elliott. It looked a clear case for a red card but referee Paul Taylor let him off with a long warning.