Coventry City are threatening to stage yet another version of the great escape as they collected a second successive win to overwhelm woeful Leicester in the midlands derby at Filbert Street.

The Sky Blues had looked dead and buried a week ago as they found themselves seven points adrift of the safety zone.

But they are now only one point behind fourth from bottom Middlesbrough, who will now have all the pressure on them to obtain a positive result when they entertain Sunderland on Monday night.

Coventry had scrapped their way to victory over Derby last weekend, but this time they destroyed their opponents with incisive, attacking football.

The front two of John Hartson and Mustapha Hadji were a constant menace and seldom have Leicester looked so ragged and unsure in defence as they were prised open time and time again.

Craig Bellamy also supported well from the left flank and, with John Eustace also breaking forward to good effect from midfield, the Foxes struggled to stem the tide.

Coventry were seldom put under any concerted pressure, but when the home side did venture forward, they came up against a solid defensive display with Gary Breen coolness personified.

But while the Coventry fans celebrated, Leicester were left to reflect on a season that is rapidly falling apart.

The shock FA Cup exit at the hands of Wycombe plus nine successive away league defeats has had a crippling effect on both confidence and belief.

It has also coincided with injuries to key players and hopes of obtaining a UEFA Cup spot are beginning to fade for a side who were seldom out of the top six for the first two thirds of the season.

The fit again Muzzy Izzet worked hard to try and breathe some inspiration into Leicester, but he was fighting a lost cause before limping out of the action with 10 minutes left.

Coventry got off to a dream start with Bellamy putting them ahead in the first minute.

Hartson went in for the ball with Izzet and it ricocheted into the path of Hadji on the right flank.

He made good ground before sending over a low cross into the path of Bellamy, who made no mistake from 10 yards, although Simon Royce got a hand to the ball.

The visitors were in total command in the early stages, but against the run of play Leicester drew level after nine minutes.

Andrew Impey intercepted a pass meant for Marcus Hall and found Arnar Gunnlaugsson who made a powerful run before releasing a 25-yard shot which Chris Kirkland could only parry.

The rebound fell into the path of Ade Akinbiyi who drilled a low shot past the Coventry keeper for his ninth goal of the season.

But it was not long before Coventry regained the initiative and after 19 minutes they regained the lead with a splendid goal from Lee Carsley.

Barry Quinn's right-hand cross picked out Carsley, who rose above the static Leicester defence to arrow an unstoppable header into the top right-hand corner of the net.

Gordon Strachan's side threatened to score every time they attacked and Royce blocked a shot from Paul Telfer after he had cut into the penalty area.

Then twice in the space of 60 seconds Coventry came within inches of doubling their lead.

First Eustace's low shot beat Royce all ends up and grazed the far post and then Hartson just failed to apply the slight touch needed to convert a low centre from Hall.

The Foxes re-organised for the second period with the injured Matt Elliott and Callum Davidson replaced by Steve Guppy and Stefan Oakes.

Gunnlaugsson almost produced an instant equaliser when he cut in from the left and curled a shot just past the far post.

But after 50 minutes, Coventry doubled their lead with the ever impressive Hartson's power in the air earning his side their third goal.

Telfer sent over an outswinging corner and Hartson climbed above Gerry Taggart and Gary Rowett to give Royce no chance with his downward header.

It was the fifth goal in the last four games for club and country for the former Arsenal and West Ham striker.

Leicester had more of the play in the final half hour and Kirkland earned his spurs to keep out a point-blank range header from Taggart.

Izzet did bundle the ball in the net 15 minutes from time, but the assistant referee ruled that Guppy's deep cross had gone behind the goal before curling back into play.

Teams

Leicester: Royce, Elliott (Oakes 45), Taggart, Rowett, Impey, Davidson (Guppy 45), Izzet (Benjamin 80), Marshall, Lewis, Gunnlaugsson, Akinbiyi.

Subs Not Used: Andrews, Delaney.

Booked: Akinbiyi, Rowett, Taggart.

Goals: Akinbiyi 10.

Coventry: Kirkland, Quinn, Shaw, Breen, Hall, Carsley, Eustace (Chippo 81), Telfer, Hadji (Williams 87), Hartson, Bellamy.

Subs Not Used: Hedman, Thompson, Zuniga.

Booked: Carsley, Bellamy.

Goals: Bellamy 2, Carsley 19, Hartson 51.

Att: 19,545

Ref: G Barber (Tring).