Gary McSheffrey's penalty and a goal from Dele Adebola gave Coventry a
much-needed victory but left Nottingham Forest deep in relegation trouble after
the midlands derby at Highfield Road.
McSheffrey scored from the spot in the 21st minute and Adebola added a second
with a solo effort just before half-time to leave Forest five points adrift of
safety with six games remaining.
In contrast, the Sky Blues moved onto 47 points and away from the relegation
zone in the Coca-Cola Championship.
The game lacked urgency in the early stages and Coventry had an early let off
when Kris Commons found space just outside the box and fired a shot towards goal
which Luke Steele tipped over for a corner.
Adebola was guilty of wasting a chance in the 11th minute when Lloyd Dyer sent
a great cross into the box towards the Sky Blues striker but his tame header
drifted wide.
Coventry were beginning to look strong and deservedly took the lead through a
McSheffrey penalty in the 21st minute.
A free-kick found Stephen Hughes in space in the Forest box and he headed back
across goal, forcing Gareth Taylor to handle the ball. McSheffrey stepped up and
blasted the ball into the top corner of the goal for his 11th of the season.
An expected onslaught by Forest never materialised and instead it was the Sky
Blues who came close to extending their lead when Stephen Hughes curled the ball
around the back of the defence but it eluded Adebola and Shaun Goater.
McSheffrey's 29th-minute shot was saved by Paul Gerrard but he spilled the
ball into the path of Adebola who looked set to pounce before the Forest keeper
quickly recovered to dive on the ball.
It was no surprise when Coventry went further in front four minutes before
half-time. Adebola went on a surging run into the Forest box and appeared to
have taken a touch too many before he slotted the ball into the net from close
range.
Coventry continued in the same vein as they had left off in the first half as
Hughes' drilled shot was saved by Gerrard.
In the 54th minute McSheffrey, who was proving a thorn in the side of the
Forest defence, forced Gerrard to parry the ball before Dyer's shot from the
edge of the box flew wide. Eight minutes later a Hughes corner fell to Richard
Duffy in the Forest box but his shot went high over the bar.
Forest were failing to cause any real problems for the Sky Blues, who always
looked the more likely to add to their two-goal advantage, but they should have
done better when Robert Page fouled Taylor to present Forest with a free-kick
from a good position. However Commons sent the free-kick over the bar.
Soon after Coventry were unlucky not to add a third goal when McSheffrey was
sent clean through with only the keeper to beat but Gerrard saved well and the
same player's follow-up shot went wide.
Commons was providing the only real threat for Forest and his shot 12 minutes
before full-time brought a rare save from Steele.
Forest mustered a few attacks in the final few minutes when Scott Dobie's
cross was headed goalwards by Eugen Bopp but his effort was comfortably saved by
Steele. Soon after Taylor's header rattled the woodwork but Coventry held on for
a crucial victory.
Teams
Coventry Steele, Duffy, Page, Staunton, Hall, McSheffrey,
Doyle, Hughes (Osbourne 85), Dyer (Whing 85), Adebola,
Goater (Benjamin 72).
Subs Not Used: Pressman, John.
Booked: McSheffrey, Hughes.
Goals: McSheffrey 24 pen, Adebola 41.
Nottm Forest Gerrard, Morgan, Melville, Doig, Louis-Jean,
Commons, Powell (Gardner 57), Perch, Robertson (Bopp 51),
Dobie, Taylor.
Subs Not Used: Doyle, Thompson, Harris.
Booked: Commons, Taylor, Perch.
Att: 22,221
Ref: A D'Urso (Essex).
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