The Sky Blues are beaten by four goals to one by Crystal Palace in front of the biggest crowd of the season so far at the Ricoh Arena.
City fans took advantage of reduced ticket priced for the match but unfortunately the players could not deliver a fitting performance and Palace were well worth the three points.
The visitors took an early lead through Darren Ward but City looked to have scored as timely equaliser when Matt Heath netted just before half time only for Palace to re-take the lead just seconds later through Clinton Morrison.
Ben Watson's goal early in the second half effectively killed the tie and there was more bad news for Coventry when substitute Claus Jorgensen was red carded towards the end, after which Jon Macken added salt in the wound with a last ditch fourth.
New loan signing Lilian Nalis made his Sky Blues debut as one of three changes. The midfielder went straight into the starting eleven, replacing Willo Flood. Dele Adebola returned for the Sky Blues, replacing Andy Morrell who dropped to the bench, while Richard Shaw came back into defence in place of Andrew Whing.
Palace got going immediately from the kick-off, forcing a corner and pegging City back but it was the home team who got the first shot on target in the fourth minute - Michael Doyle's 30-yard swerving volley forced Palace keeper Gabor Kiraly to pluck the ball from the top corner.
But in the 14th minute Palace were ahead when Darren Ward swivelled to blast a shot into the back of the net after City failed to clear their lines following a corner.
Palace were looking rampant in attack and it took a superb last ditch challenge from Richard Shaw to deny Dougie Freedman whose goalbound shot was brilliantly blocked.
James Scowcroft forced Kiraly into action with a low 25-yard drive as the Sky Blues started to string together some promising moves. Nalis was showing plenty of grit in the midfield and also a good range of passing as he tried on several occasions to pick out a City attacker.
Palace had started off extremely brightly but as the half progressed City adapted to harness their threat a little and were looking more organised throughout the team.
The Sky Blues had forced a lot of set pieces in attacking positions throughout the first 45 minutes and it wasn't until the last minute of the half that they made one tell. Hughes put one of his dangerous balls in from a corner and Matt Heath attacked it superbly to head City level.
But just as Coventry had got themselves level they threw it away when Danny Butterfield's freekick was headed home by Clinton Morrison to leave the visitors 2-1 up at half time.
Coventry made a substitution at the break as Sofiane came on for his debut, replacing Hughes in midfield. McSheffrey went close to bringing City level straight away when his powerful rising shot was expertly tipped over the bar by Kiraly.
But in the 57th minute, Palace made their class tell with a finely worked second. They had City chasing shadows with some neat one-touch passes which resulted in young midfielder Ben Watson sliding in to score their third.
It was going to be an uphill battle for the Sky Blues to get back in it against a talented Palace team but McSheffrey tried his luck with a low shot from the edge of the area which Kiraly got down to well.
With a little over 20 minutes remaining Micky Adams made his second switch, introducing Jorgensen for Scowcroft. McSheffrey continued to pose a threat, forcing another save from Kiraly with a curling free-kick. With 12 minutes remaining Andy Morrell came on for Adebola in Coventry's final switch as Iain Dowie introduced Andy Johnson who has just recovered from a knee injury.
With eight minutes left on the clock Coventry's misery was compounded when Jorgensen was mysteriously shown a straight red card, and when Jon Macken added a fourth for the visitors right at the death it was a miserable afternoon all round for the Sky Blues.
Coventry: Bywater; Hall; Hughes (Sofiane 46); Duffy; Doyle; Adebola (Morrell 78); McSheffrey; Scowcroft (Jorgensen 69); Heath; Shaw; Nalis. Subs: Whing; Flood
Sent-off: Jorgensen (82)
Palace: Kiraly; Ward; McAnuff; Freedman (Macken 87); Morrison (Johnson 78); Watson (Hughes 61); Soares; Butterfield; Boyce; Reich; Hall. Subs: Speroni; Hudson
Referee: A Wiley
Attendance: 24,438
