John Hartson turned in an inspired performance to help Coventry City to their first home win for nearly five months and revive their chances of avoiding relegation from the Premiership.

The Welsh international had scored three times in two appearances for his country against Armenia and Ukraine, and retained the Midas touch to score the decisive second goal for the Sky Blues.

His all-round play, his power and physical presence in the air, proved a real handful for the Derby defence which struggled to contain him.

Hartson provided the never-say-die attitude that Coventry will need in their remaining seven matches if they are to pull off another Houdini-style escape from the drop to Division One.

Mustapha Hadji had scored the opener to silence some of his critics on the terraces, but he was then sent off 20 minutes from time in an off-the-ball incident with Danny Higginbotham.

It hardly mattered in the final analysis and the relief was felt all around Highfield Road as Gordon Strachan's side ended a run of 10 league games without a win stretching back to Boxing Day.

Lee Carsley was a key figure in midfield with his non-stop aggression, while Craig Bellamy did well in a wide role.

Derby were desperately disappointing with the possible exception of Seth Johnson in the left wing-back role and they performed like a side which at times almost looked as if they were just going through the motions.

But that should not take away credit from the Sky Blues and it was fitting that a few rays of sunshine broke through at the final whistle.

The early exchanges were unsurprisingly tense given Coventry's desperate plight, but at least Hartson was able to ruffle a few feathers in the Rams defence.

He got in an early header which Andy Oakes saved away to his right - but the Derby goalkeeper lasted only eight minutes before being stretchered off with a knee problem.

A misdirected back-pass from Darryl Powell allowed Hadji a clear run at goal and Oakes came racing out of his penalty area to block the shot and injured himself in the process.

Hartson was a constant menace and he got in behind the Derby defence to meet a Marcus Hall free-kick, but he was unable to get his header on target.

Hartson's power was too much for Derby defender Higginbotham, who was yellow carded for holding him back.

The former Wimbledon striker than made a run forward before being just off target with a powerful 15-yard effort.

Derby played like a side relatively free of relegation trouble after their recent revival, but the best they could manage in the first 45 minutes was a shot over the bar from Johnson and a blocked header from Deon Burton.

There was a muted atmosphere with it almost seeming as if the crowd were resigned to Coventry going down, but they came to life two minutes before the interval when Hadji broke the deadlock.

John Eustace saw his left-footed effort from close range parried away by substitute 'keeper Mart Poom, but Hadji reacted quickly to head in the rebound from six yards out.

Then Hadji came close to adding a second when his volley from the edge of the area flew through a ruck of players and just wide.

Coventry needed only four minutes of the second half to double their lead and it was fitting that the impressive Hartson should be on target.

Poom fisted out a Hadji free-kick for a corner and the resulting cross from Telfer was met at the near post by Hartson, who sent a thumping header into the corner of the net.

It completely changed the mood among the fans, who had last seen their side win at home against Leicester in early December.

Derby tried to launch a fightback, but Malcolm Christie's header from a Thordur Gudjonsson cross was comfortably held by Chris Kirkland.

Rams manager Jim Smith brought on Giorgi Kinkladze for on-loan Gudjonsson at the hour mark in an effort to breath some life into his side's lacklustre performance.

The game then boiled over with Hadji sent off in the 71st minute after an-off-the-ball incident with Higginbotham, which prompted a flare-up involving several players.

Referee David Elleray consulted with one of his assistants before sending off the Moroccan.

Derby staged a late rally, but they must have known it was not going to be their day when Rory Delap shot over from six yards out with the goal at his mercy after Kirkland had beat out a stinging shot from Powell.

Teams

Coventry: Kirkland, Shaw, Breen, Telfer, Eustace, Quinn, Hadji, Carsley, Hall, Bellamy (Chippo 84), Hartson.

Subs Not Used: Hedman, Williams, Thompson, Aloisi.

Sent Off: Hadji (72).

Goals: Hadji 44, Hartson 49.

Derby: Oakes (Poom 10), Carbonari, Higginbotham, Mawene, Delap, Johnson, Gudjonsson (Kinkladze 59), Powell, Burley (Murray 74), Burton, Christie.

Subs Not Used: Bragstad, Boertien.

Booked: Higginbotham.

Att: 19,654

Ref: D Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill).