Coventry deservedly beat QPR thanks to a battling display with Dele Adebola getting the only goal of the game.
The Sky Blues went through a far-from-average warm-up for this one, having had to desert their coach, get the tube to Shepherd's Bush and walk to Loftus Road. The players only emerged for their pre-match run-through half an hour before kick-off but the game still got underway at 3pm.
Darren Currie was named in the starting eleven for his Coventry City debut, playing on the left hand side of midfield, while Colin Cameron replaced the injured Don Hutchison and surprisingly lined-up on the right.
Clive Clarke played in his third position since joining the Club on loan little over a month ago at centre midfield. Elliott Ward was back at centre half having recovered from a back strain, with Jay Tabb dropping to the bench at his expense.
Cameron got City's first shot on goal in the second minute but it was easily gathered by Rangers goalkeeper Simon Royce. And the former Wolves man was presented with the best chance of the game in the 19th minute when Dele Adebola went on a mazy run and pulled a lovely ball back which Cameron scuffed across the face of goal when he should have at least hit the target.
The match was flowing end-to-end but it was the Sky Blues who were creating the best of the early opportunities, although they failed to take any of them to establish a lead.
City were working their socks off throughout the team and Adebola in particular was seeing a lot of the ball up front, while Cameron looked impressive in the engine room.
The home side started to impose themselves more on the tie as the first half came to an end and Andy Marshall had to be alert to make an excellent one-handed save to ensure the scores remained goalless while substitute Ray Jones shot just wide from 15 yards.
The Hoops had finished the first half the stronger side but City emerged completely fired up at the start of the second and after McKenzie had wasted a glorious one-on-one chance to give the Sky Blues the lead, the impressive Adebola put City ahead in fine style.
The powerful striker collected a square ball, span his marker and hammered a shot high into the net past the helpless Royce to make it 1-0 in the 47th minute with his 100th career goal. QPR went straight up the other end and nearly equalized as a Marc Nygaard header clipped the top of the crossbar.
But it was City who continued to apply all the pressure and Currie could have marked his debut with a goal when McKenzie floated in a beautiful cross but the loan man could not get over his header and placed it over the bar.
John Gregory made a double substitution with just over half an hour remaining introducing the experienced strike partnership of Kevin Gallen and Martin Rowlands.
As you'd expect from a side that had beaten the league leaders away from home last week, QPR were not going to take things lying down and threw everything at the Sky Blues to get back in the match.
With eleven minutes left on the clock City carved out a great move which nearly sealed the three points. Marcus Hall went on an overlap down the left and whipped in a superb cross which McKenzie connected with a diving header but unfortunately his effort flew just wide of the upright.
With six minutes remaining Adams made his first switch as Kyle replaced Currie who'd had a competent if unspectacular first appearance in a City shirt.
Marshall has been performing superbly in goal in recent weeks and he pulled out an excellent one-handed stop from Gallen in the 87th minute to preserve Coventry's slender advantage.
With five minutes of stoppage time signaled there was a nervy end to the tie but the Sky Blues continued to stand firm to pick up a superb victory after an extremely committed performance.
Coventry: Marshall; Hall; Page; Ward; Doyle; Adebola; McKenzie; Cameron; Duffy; Clarke; Currie (Kyle 84). Subs (not used): Gonzalez; Birchall; Bischoff; Tabb
Booked: Hall (69); Kyle (90)
QPR: Royce; Bignot; Rehman; Ward; Cook; Bailey (Rowlands 57); Stewart; Nygaard (Gallen 57); Blackstock (Jones 45); Smith; Mancienne. Subs (not used): Thomas; Milanese
Referee: Mr C Penton
Attendance: 12,840 (1,159)
