City and Southampton take a point apiece after Jamie Scowcroft's second goal in as many games was cancelled out by Riccardo Fuller.
Scowcroft fired City into an early lead but Fuller did not take long to put Saints level, as he took advantage of a defensive error to give his team a share of the spoils.
Micky Adams made two changes from the side which narrowly lost 2-1 at Bramall Lane on Saturday, with Claus Jorgensen being passed fit to replace Isaac Osbourne and Richard Shaw filling in for the suspended Matt Heath. It meant that the veteran defender reached a landmark in his career, passing Trevor Peake to become Coventry's tenth longest serving player of all time.
There was an early injury scare for the Sky Blues as Jamie Scowcroft took a blow to the head although he was fit to continue after treatment and in the sixth minute it was the powerful striker who gave City the lead. Marcus Hall had gone on a great overlap and was played away down the left by Scowcroft, who then got on the end of the defender's low cross and smashed a first time effort past the helpless Antti Niemi.
It was a great start for City but seemed to spark the visitors into action and in the 12th minute they were level. Robert Page made a terrible error as he failed to get enough purchase on his backpass to Bywater and Riccardo Fuller pounced to curl an accurate shot into the far corner.
Two minutes later and Jorgensen got a chance to fire City into the lead again. Doyle cut in from the left and played the Dane through but he was always stretching to reach the ball and could only fire a toe-poked effort straight at Niemi. Adebola got the next glimpse of goal but he could not react quickly enough to get his header on target when McSheffrey's pacy free kick into the area reached him.
City were doing the majority of the attacking and just before the half hour mark, they forced four consecutive corners but failed to convert any of the chances created.
Saints threatened to go ahead eight minutes before the interval but it would have been tough justice for City. Duffy appeared to be manhandled off the ball by Ormerod, although the referee saw nothing wrong with the challenge, but thankfully he blazed his shot well wide.
Coventry were then forced into a substitution as Dele Adebola came off to be replaced by Stern John as the half ended goalless.
The second period started well for the Sky Blues and two minutes in a good chance presented itself to Scowcroft. Flood's cross found him unmarked eight yards from goal but he could not keep his header down.
City were building up a head of steam as they went for the kill and in the 55th minute launched a good attack down the right as Flood latched onto John's pass but failed to find a Coventry man with his centre.
The Sky Blues then had a hugely fortunate escape as an Ormerod header hit the crossbar and was scrambled to safety as they failed to maintain their momentum.
With about 20 minutes remaining Southampton made their first switch, as Dexter Blackstock came on for Ormerod and moments later an other chance fell Scowcroft's way but his volley was easily gathered by Niemi.
Saints were very strong at the back - not surprising for a team which had won its last four games without conceding a goal - and it was hard to see how City would break their opponents down but to their credit the players never gave up and with ten left on the clock, the excellent Scowcroft fired a low drive from outside the box just wide.
Micky Adams then made a double switch, introducing Morrell for Flood and Osbourne for Jorgensen.
With two minutes left Oakley shot just wide from long distance but City finished on the offensive although there was to be no late winner for either side.
CITY: Bywater; Hall; Page; Duffy; Doyle; Adebola (John 38); McSheffrey; Scowcroft; Jorgensen (Osbourne 83); Shaw; Flood (Morrell 83). Subs (not used): Ince; Whing
Booked: Duffy (45)
SAINTS: Niemi; Lundekvam; Powell; Hajto; Oakley; Ormerod(Blackstock 72); Quashie; Fuller; Higginbotham; Prutton; Belmadi. Subs (not used): Smith; Wise; Craney; Dyer.
Booked: Powell (42); Prutton (57)
Referee: Mr Mike Thorpe
Attendance: 19,121
