Coventry cashed in on some suicidal Sunderland defending but then had to survive a second-half rally from Peter Reid's side before securing a thrilling Premiership victory at Highfield Road.

The Sky Blues raced into a 3-0 interval lead after Sunderland had produced one of the worst displays of defending seen in the top flight this season.

Gordon Strachan's side could have doubled their tally in the opening 45 minutes during which Robbie Keane, Mustapha Hadji and Cedric Roussel hit the target.

But it was a different story in the second half as Sunderland - no doubt responding to a verbal lashing from Peter Reid - made Coventry sweat before they took the three points.

Kevin Phillips gave them the initial lifeline, and it needed a last-gasp save from Magnus Hedman to keep Coventry in front after Alex Rae had scored a second goal with two minutes remaining.

With the return of Hadji and Youssef Chippo from African Nations Cup duty, Coventry have the ammunition to prise open better defences than that offered up by Sunderland.

Hadji, in particular, was in outstanding form as he scored once and had a hand in the build-up to the other two goals which clinched Coventry's eighth home success of the campaign.

If they can only tighten up at the back - an area in which they have been crippled by injury problems - then manager Gordon Strachan's aim of a top 10 finish is a realistic ambition.

Sunderland, meanwhile, have now collected just two points from their last seven matches.

The firepower of Kevin Phillips and Niall Quinn, which has carried all before them in the first half of the season, will go to waste unless Sunderland stop handing out presents to opposing forwards.

But the way not to sort the problem out is by resorting to the sort of over-the-top challenges dished out by the likes of Nicky Summerbee and Stefan Schwarz - the latter in particular fortunate to escape with only a booking from referee Paul Alcock.

Coventry got off to a dream start as they cashed in on an error by Sunderland goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen to break the deadlock after just 78 seconds.

The home side won a free-kick on the left of the Sunderland area, and captain Gary McAllister rolled the ball into the path of Hadji in a central position.

He struck his shot powerfully enough, but it should have still have been easy meat for Sorensen. Instead he fumbled the 20-yard effort, and Robbie Keane pounced to bury the rebound from close range.

It was the Irishman's 11th goal since his £6million move from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Sunderland's only answer seemed to be to resort to rough-house tactics as they dished out a series of late challenges. One of them - by Summerbee - resulted in Coventry's England wing-back Stephen Froggatt being forced out of action with what looked like an ankle problem.

But Coventry were in total command and in the 13th minute doubled their lead.

McAllister floated over a corner which Roussel flicked on at the near post - and Hadji did the rest from close range.

Six minutes later the game looked effectively all over as Coventry went 3-0 ahead, cashing in on some more hesitant defending.

Darren Williams seemed unaware of the presence of Hadji as he left alone a long clearance, and the Moroccan seized the unexpected opportunity, his eventual shot ricocheting into the path of Roussel who made no mistake.

Coventry were in a rampant mood, with Roussel volleying into the side-netting, Gary Breen having a header cleared off the line by Niall Quinn and then Sorensen blocking an effort from Chippo.

Alcock finally took some action when he yellow-carded Chris Makin for a challenge on McAllister.

Sunderland showed more purpose at the start of the second period, and Hedman saved a glancing header from Quinn.

But Coventry were still full of purpose and enterprise, and Keane should have done better when he toe-ended his shot through to Sorensen following a cross from Chippo.

The massed ranks of the visitors fans finally had something to cheer about in the 57th minute when Phillips struck in typically clinical fashion.

Gavin McCann sent over a deep cross from the left flank, and Phillips was first to react as he sent a low volley past Hedman for his 23rd goal of the campaign.

Coventry still looked dangerous with Hadji only inches wide with a 20-yard effort.

But Sunderland started to gather momentum in the final quarter, and Hedman turned an Eric Roy header for a corner before Rae set up a grand finale.

In the 88th minute he hooked the ball home after Quinn had headed a Phillips cross back across goal.

Then in injury-time Hedman finger-tipped an effort from Kevin Kilbane on to the outside of a post.

Teams:

Coventry: Hedman, Gustafsson, Shaw, Breen, Froggatt (Quinn 10), Chippo (Normann 85), Eustace, McAllister, Hadji, Roussel, Keane.

Subs Not Used: Ogrizovic, Konjic, Strachan.

Booked: Eustace.

Goals: Keane 2, Hadji 13, Roussel 18.

Sunderland: Sorensen, Makin, Butler, Craddock, Williams (Holloway 63), Summerbee (Rae 78), Schwarz, McCann (Roy 66), Kilbane, Quinn, Phillips.

Subs Not Used: Marriott, Reddy.

Booked: Makin, Schwarz, McCann.

Goals: Phillips 57, Rae 88.

Att: 22,101

Ref: P Alcock (Halstead).