The Iain Dowie era began in victory as the Sky Blues claimed a determined victory over high-flying Southampton.
Kevin Kyle grabbed the decisive strike in the 30th minute after Marek Saganowski cancelled out a sublime early strike from Dele Adebola.
The new boss, paraded to a rapturous applause before kick-off, made several changes to the side beaten at Leicester on Saturday, with Elliott Ward returning from injury and taking the captain's armband in the absence of the injured Robert Page.
Marcus Hall returned to the back-line with Andy Whing pushing into a more attacking wide right berth and Michael Doyle returned to partner Stephen Hughes at the centre of midfield.
Kevin Kyle was handed a chance to impress in attack after recovering from a broken hand and immediately set about repaying his new manager's faith.
With the game only five minutes old, the Scottish international flicked on a long ball forward to the feet of Adebola, who left Saints 'keeper Kelvin Davis stranded with an unstoppable volley which flew in off the left-hand post from just inside the area.
However, the visitors reply was instant and they could have equalised three minutes later when Colin Hawkins headed off the line from Kenwyne Jones.
But they did find the net in the 13th minute. City 'keeper Andy Marshall fumbled a Saints corner, with Kyle hacking desperately off the line, but Saganowski was on hand to scramble the ball home.
The home side were soon back in front, though, and this time the influential Kyle turned scorer, leaping above Pele before sending a looping header beyond Davis from a teasing Michael Doyle cross.
Hughes almost added a third shortly after the break with a low free-kick which skimmed narrowly wide of the target, while Jones should have levelled on the hour when he skewed high and wide from two yards out.
Marshall produced fine saves to deny Sagonowski and Gareth Bale as George Burley's promotion chasers attempted to engineer a way back into the game, but City held firm.
And as the Saints poured men forward, they left gaps at the back and they were nearly pounced upon late on when a last-gasp challenge from Bale denied substitute Michael Mifsud as the striker surged through on goal.
Bale almost notched an equaliser when he drove at Marshall from the edge of the area, but it turned out to be the last kick of the game as the Sky Blues earned a morale boosting victory.
Coventry City (4-4-2): Marshall; McNamee (Osbourne, 53), Ward (c), Hawkins, Hall; Whing, Doyle, Hughes, Tabb (McKenzie, 73); Adebola, Kyle (Mifsud, 81). Subs (Not Used): Steele (GK), Virgo.
Southampton (4-4-2): Davis; Baird, Pele (Ostlund, 46), Lundekvam (c), Bale; Wright, Viafara, Skacel (Belmadi, 46), Surman; Saganowski, Jones (Rasiak, 78). Subs (Not Used): Bialkowski (GK), Wright-Phillips.
