Alan Shearer set a new best for Newcastle as he blasted his side towards victory from the penalty spot.

The England skipper struck with his 29th goal of the season with 12 minutes remaining after referee Peter Jones spotted a handball, and also played a part in Diego Gavilan's first strike for the club.

That represents his biggest tally in a United shirt and took him to 299 career goals and 198 in the league.

Newcastle deserved their victory against the Premiership's worst travellers, but they made hard work of it for long periods as they failed to make the pressure count, especially before the break.

United made two changes to the side which drew 2-2 with Leeds United last Sunday with Italian defender Alessandro Pistone returning to first-team action 12 weeks after breaking his leg.

The former Inter Milan player replaced the injured Steve Howey, while there was also a comeback for Welsh midfielder Gary Speed, who missed out last week with a stomach bug.

Coventry boss Gordon Strachan was able to welcome back Moroccan duo Youssef Chippo and Mustapha Hadji, and there were also returns for Richard Shaw, Paul Williams and Cedric Roussel as David Burrows, Colin Hendry, John Eustace, Barry Quinn and Runar Normann made way.

Shearer went into the game attempting to reach three impressive targets - his best ever season's total for Newcastle, 300 career goals and 200 league goals - and he could have achieved two of the three within three minutes.

Only 40 seconds had elapsed when the England skipper found Gavilan down the right and when the return ball was delivered into the penalty area, his left foot shoot flew just wide.

Two minutes later, it was Gavilan again providing the ammunition when he sent a deep cross to the far post for Shearer to head for goal, where keeper Magnus Hedman managed to beat his effort away.

Defender almost put through his own goal with nine minutes gone as Kieron Dyer crossed from the right as Coventry, without a league win away from home all season, failed to gain a foothold in the game.

Didier Domi and Dyer in particular were causing all kinds of problems for the visitors with their pace, and Dyer looked unfortunate not to be awarded an 11th-minute penalty when he went down under Paul Telfer's challenge.

Coventry eventually managed to stabilise the situation as Chippo started to pull the strings in central midfield, but the home side always looked the more likely to break the deadlock.

It took another Shaw intervention to deny Shearer a strike at goal four minutes before the break after Dyer returned Paul Williams' weak header into the six-yard box, but both sides had late chances as the half came to a close.

United keeper Shay Given made his only save two minutes before time when he collected Hadji's long-range effort, but Hedman was tested more by substitute Temuri Ketsbaia's drive a minute later.

Newcastle had a second penalty claim waved away on 48 minutes after Shearer appeared to be felled by Shaw as he chased Given's clearance, but that was one of few incidents in a poor second half.

Shearer's battle with Gary Breen and Williams became increasingly physical, but neither side looked capable of carving out a decisive opening.

Lee shot just over from 25 yards on 67 minutes and Ketsbaia missed the target four minutes later after a mazy run, but Hedman was as under-employed as Given at the other end for most of the half.

But United finally took the lead from the spot 12 minutes from time when Jones finally pointed to the spot as Nikos Dabizas charged into the box and the referee saw the ball come off a defender's hand.

Shearer kept calm as Coventry lodged a vain appeal before smashing the ball high to Hedman's right to make it 1-0.

The striker also played a vital role in his side's second when he found Ketsbaia and the Georgian rolled a pass into the path of Gavilan, who shot low past Hedman for his first Newcastle goal.

Teams:

Newcastle: Given, Barton, Hughes, Dabizas, Pistone, Gavilan (Griffin 89), Lee (McClen 89), Speed, Domi (Ketsbaia 39), Dyer, Shearer.

Subs Not Used: Harper, Maric.

Goals: Shearer 78 pen, Gavilan 84.

Coventry: Hedman, Shaw, Breen, Williams, Telfer, Hadji, Chippo, McAllister, Whelan (Betts 89), Roussel (Eustace 65), Keane (Zuniga 85).

Subs Not Used: Ogrizovic, Fowler.

Booked: Williams, McAllister.

Att: 36,408

Ref: P Jones (Loughborough).