A dramatic last-minute goal by substitute Caleb Folan gave Hull their first Coca-Cola Championship victory of the year and left Coventry still chasing a first league win in 2008.

Folan, a 64th-minute replacement for top-scorer Dean Windass, latched on to a long punt forward and lobbed the ball over the advancing Dimi Konstantopoulos from the edge of the 18-yard box.

It was the highlight of a tepid encounter that looked destined to end in a stalemate.

On a bitterly cold evening on Humberside, much of the football could be described as lukewarm at best.

Michael Mifsud's half-volley from the right-hand side of the box that forced Boaz Myhill into a fine one-handed save just before the break was the closest Coventry came to scoring.

The in-rushing Dele Adebola headed the rebound over the crossbar after he was unable to adjust his feet in time.

Hull had the ball in the net midway through the second half but Fraizer Campbell's effort was ruled out for offside.

On this showing, it was easy to understand why the sides had not won in the league since the turn of the year.

Perhaps Hull had an excuse as it was their first game since losing 3-1 at home to West Brom on January 12.

Elimination from the FA Cup and the postponement of the trip to Colchester earlier this month had culminated in a two-and-a-half-week rest for Phil Brown's side.

They looked patchy and disjointed as they cagily set about trying to get the win that would reignite their play-off hopes.

Coventry might have been cagey for a different reason - they knew that losing would increase their relegation worries after a desperate run of five defeats in their last six league games.

Prior to Mifsud's 34th-minute effort, little had materialised in the way of goalmouth action.

A promising run by Bryan Hughes early in the game was not matched by the finish as his shot lacked venom and was easily smothered by Konstantopoulos.

Mifsud stung Myhill's palms with an angled shot soon after but like Hughes' effort, it was routine stuff for the goalkeeper.

Isaac Osbourne was fortunate to escape with merely a yellow card five minutes before the break when he wrestled Dean Marney to the ground midway inside his own half.

It could have been argued that Osbourne was the last defender but the referee deemed it not to be a sending-off offence.

Windass looked certain to break the stalemate early in the second half as he rose at the far post to head home Hughes' right-wing cross.

However, the veteran striker must have taken his eye off the ball at the vital moment and it sailed harmlessly out of play.

It looked like Hull would live to rue that miss but Folan pounced in the 90th minute to seal the points for the hosts.

Teams:

Hull Myhill, Ricketts, Turner, Brown, Dawson,Garcia (Pedersen 78), Walton, Marney (Barmby 51), Hughes,Windass (Folan 64), Campbell.

Subs Not Used: Doyle, France.

Booked: Marney.

Goals: Folan 90.

Coventry Konstantopoulos, Osbourne, De Zeeuw, Ward,Davis (Simpson 84), Tabb, Stephen Hughes, Doyle,Fox (Borrowdale 81), Adebola, Mifsud (Best 86).

Subs Not Used: Cairo, Gray.

Booked: Osbourne, Davis.

Att: 14,822

Ref: Clive Oliver (Northumberland).