John Hartson thew Coventry City another lifeline in their against the odds fight to avoid relegation with a priceless winning goal against Sunderland at Highfield Road.

The Welsh international struck his fifth goal in the last four games for the Sky Blues to keep the pressure on Middlesbrough and Derby in the battle to survive.

Coventry played like a team who knew anything less than three points would almost certainly end their 34-year unbroken run in the top flight.

Hartson again led by example up front and is proving to be one of the bargains of the season after his pay as you play move from Wimbledon at £15,000 a game.

He dominated in the air and clearly had a positive effect on his rookie strike partner Jay Bothroyd who had his best game for the Sky Blues in his short career.

With Lee Carsley and Paul Telfer working like trojans in the centre of the park, Coventry dominated for long periods against Peter Reid's side who played the last 41 minutes with 10 men after Stanislav Varga's red card.

But a brilliant display by Sunderland 'keeper Thomas Sorensen, who pulled off several fine saves, kept the home crowd on tenterhooks to the final whistle.

Then, when nerves became frayed in the final 15 minutes, Coventry defender Gary Breen was a cool customer in keeping Sunderland at bay.

Sunderland have now won only one of their last 11 matches - the 4-2 success at Chelsea - and their chances of securing a UEFA Cup spot are now in jeopardy.

They battled away with the kind of commitment that Reid would have wanted after Saturday's second half collapse against Tottenham and picked up a host of yellow cards.

But, with full-backs Michael Gray and Patrice Carteron both absent, the visitors attack lacked width and seldom threatened Chris Kirkland's goal.

Coventry were quickly into their stride with Hartson causing problems in the air for Emerson Thome, the Sunderland defender appointed to man-mark him, from the first whistle.

A free-kick from Telfer saw Hartson have a header blocked but he seized onto the rebound to find John Eustace in space only for the midfielder to fire over the bar.

Sorensen then did well to block a close range effort from Carsley after a cross from Eustace had rebounded off Thome into his path.

Kevin Phillips, watched by England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, had half a chance but his left footed effort was well of target when under pressure from Richard Shaw.

A mistake by Barry Quinn let in Sunderland skipper Stefan Schwarz but his eventual shot was so far off target that it went out of play for a throw-in.

But Hartson threatened danger every time Coventry ventured forward and after 21 minutes he struck his sixth goal since his pay-as-you-play move from Wimbledon in February.

Rookie striker Bothroyd chested the ball down to Carsley who initially shaped to shoot himself. But he instead turned the ball back across goal - and that man Hartson did the rest with a header which gave Sorensen no chance of saving.

The tackles started to come in thick and fast with Stanislav Varga, Julio Arca and Breen all yellow-carded in quick succession.

Sunderland had little width to their attacks although Coventry 'keeper Chris Kirkland did well to finger-tip one low cross from Don Hutchison after he had cut into the box.

Sunderland were reduced to 10 men in the 49th minute when Varga's second yellow card for challenges against Bothroyd led to his inevitable dismissal.

Coventry scented this was their chance to kill off the game and a powerful header from Hartson beat Sorensen all ends up but rebounded off the crossbar.

Sorensen then pulled off a superb save to finger-tip a rising effort from Bothroyd over the bar and he also held onto a low drive from the same player.

It was now virtually one-way traffic towards the Sunderland goal and Sorensen again did well to block an effort from Craig Bellamy after a reverse pass from Hartson had sent him clear.

The nerves were jangling in the final stages but Sunderland never really threatened to snatch a point until injury-time when substitute Niall Quinn found himself with only Kirkland to beat.

But he fluffed his shot completely and seconds later the terraces erupted as news came through of Ipswich's win at Middlesbrough.

Teams:

Coventry Kirkland, Quinn, Breen, Shaw, Hall, Eustace (Thompson 89), Telfer, Carsley, Bellamy, Hartson, Bothroyd.

Subs Not Used: Hedman, Williams, Chippo, Zuniga.

Booked: Breen, Eustace.

Goals: Hartson 21.

Sunderland Sorensen, Williams, Thome, Varga, McCartney, Kilbane, Schwarz (Quinn 69), McCann, Arca (Craddock 52), Hutchison (Thirlwell 69), Phillips.

Subs Not Used: Butler, Macho.

Sent Off: Varga (49).

Booked: Varga, Arca, Schwarz, Thome, Williams.

Att: 20,946

Ref: D Gallagher (Banbury).