Gary McAllister ended Coventry's four-game goal drought with a vital 84th-minute winner against Everton tonight.

McAllister poked home after Cedric Roussel had hit the post to leave Mark Hughes pointless and scoreless on his Everton debut - but it proved it had been a night for the dinosaurs.

Coventry boss Gordon Strachan had joked beforehand that with 36-year-old Hughes joining 35-year-old McAllister, 37-year-old Richard Gough and 34-year-old Colin Hendry on the pitch, it would resemble something out of Jurassic Park.

But Hendry kept Hughes at bay all night - the former Southampton forward's best chance came on six minutes when he picked up Nick Barmby's cross but was too close to goalkeeper Magnus Hedman to get in a clear shot.

And a towering performance from Everton stopper Gough seemed to have increased the Sky Blues' barren spell until McAllister's late strike.

It took McAllister's season tally to 10 - making him the second-top scorer behind the injured Robbie Keane - perhaps revealing why Strachan's men are where they are in the table.

Everton had had the better of a poor first half, with the presence of Hendry and Gough failing to mask both sides' lack of cutting edge up front.

But Coventry rallied well in the second period and eventually were worthy of their win.

Joe-Max Moore and the younger Hughes, Stephen, were guilty for Everton in the first period while Coventry became reliant on Mustapha Hadji and McAllister with their front two - Noel Whelan and Roussel - so well marshalled by Gough.

Hadji was inches away from connecting with a floating right-wing cross from Tomas Gustafsson after 17 minutes.

And he created the best chance of the half in the 37th minute as the Sky Blues ended the period with something almost approaching a flourish.

Hadji sent a perfect cross from the left channel in to Whelan who, from three yards out, clattered his shot against Everton keeper Paul Gerrard's legs.

Everton almost snatched the lead on the break when Mark Pembridge found Moore sprinting clear into the Coventry box, but the American's shot was well saved by the upright Hedman.

The game thankfully cranked up a few gears in the second period with Gough blocking Youssef Chippo's shot before the Moroccan sent his follow-up over the bar.

Chippo saw another effort blocked by the excellent Gough and his follow-up was deflected and soared narrowly over the bar.

Gough again had to be on hand to head away Nick Barmby's cross as the Sky Blues, urged on by Strachan on the touchline, enjoyed a spell of pressure.

Then Gough belied his years to get into action at the other end, heading Pembridge's corner goalbound until Hedman tipped it up and over the bar.

Everton replaced Moore with Danny Cadamarteri as they also pressed for a winner.

After Chippo had wasted two good chances, both set up by McAllister, the Sky Blues were almost made to pay when Abel Xavier shot goalwards and was kept out only by a last-ditch clearance from David Burrows.

And Whelan's poor night was summed up on 77 minutes when a dreadful mistake by Gerrard gave him a clear sight of goal 10 yards out - but Whelan had to stretch and his shot hit the post and was cleared.

It could have proved so costly until old stager McAllister came to the rescue.

Teams:

Coventry: Hedman, Gustafsson, Burrows, Shaw, Hendry, Hadji, Eustace (Zuniga 81), McAllister, Chippo, Whelan, Roussel.

Subs Not Used: Hyldgaard, Breen, Normann, Quinn.

Goals: McAllister 86.

Everton: Gerrard, Dunne, Weir, Gough, Collins, Barmby (Gemmill 81), Pembridge, S. Hughes (Unsworth 70), Xavier, Moore (Cadamarteri 66), M. Hughes.

Subs Not Used: Myhre, Ward.

Att: 18,518

Ref: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City).