The Sky Blues began life under new ownership with a closely contested draw against Southampton at the Ricoh Arena.
Jay Tabb put the home side ahead in the 19th minute when he headed home from close-range.
City failed to make the most of an excellent first-half performance and paid the price in the second-half when Bradley Wright-Phillips headed the Saints level.
Before kick-off outgoing City chairman Joe Elliott was given a rapturous applause from the Sky Blues faithful for his efforts in sealing a takeover deal with the SISU Capital consortium led by Ray Ranson.
But the home side, who welcomed back top goalscorer Michael Mifsud for the clash in just one change to the side which lined-up in last weekend's abandoned match at Sheffield Wednesday, could have found themselves on the back foot inside the opening five minutes.
Southampton had the ball in the net when former City striker Stern John pounced on a rebound after Dimi Konstantopoulos saved Wright-Phillips' close-range effort, but referee Neil Swarbrick deemed the Trinidad & Tobago star was in an offside position.
It was just the kind of wake-up call the Sky Blues needed and they soon took control of the game with captain Michael Doyle poking the ball wide after good work from Leon Best in the area and Saints 'keeper Kelvin Davis reacting well to stop a deflected effort from Michael Hughes.
Leon McKenzie, still searching for his 100th career goal, then saw a glancing header produce another good save from Davis before playing a major role in the opening goal just past the quarter hour mark.
The ball found its way to the lively striker at the back-post via a blocked effort from Mifsud and he shot straight at the legs of Davis, but Tabb was well placed to head the rebound into the unguarded net on the line for City's first goal at home from open play during a first-half since March.
Mifsud fired into the side-netting from an acute angle and McKenzie forced another good save out of Davis as the hosts looked to catch the visitors with their heads down.
But they were indebted to defender Ben Turner just before the break as he produced a tremendous block to deny the tricky Wright-Phillips.
Best headed narrowly over right at the end of the first-half before seeing a curling 20-yard shot well held by Davis at the start of the second period.
But the Sky Blues were struggling to replicate their first-half pressure and Southampton levelled matters on the hour when Jason Euell's right wing cross was steered beyond Konstantopoulos by the head of Wright-Phillips.
Mifsud had an appeal for a penalty turned down by the referee after falling under the challenge of Alan Bennett but the visitors looked more likely to score again.
Wright-Phillips squandered an excellent chance to double his tally when he dragged a shot wide after finding himself through on goal.
Iain Dowie introduced substitutes Dele Adebola and Julian Gray for Best and an injured McKenzie, but an over-hit Doyle free-kick which bounced off the top of the crossbar was the closest City came to scoring.
Coventry City: Konstantopoulos, McNamee, Ward, Turner, Borrowdale, M Hughes, Tabb (Osbourne, 79), Doyle (c), Mifsud, McKenzie (Gray, 70), Best (Adebola, 72). Subs (Not Used): Marshall (GK), S Hughes.
Goals: Tabb (19)
Booked: M Hughes, McNamee
Southampton: Davis, Wright, Bennett, Davies, Skacel, Euell, Surman, Safri (c), Hammill (Viafara, 68), Wright-Phillips (Saganowski, 83), John. Subs (Not Used): Bialkowski (GK), Powell, Rasiak.
Goals: Wright-Phillips (59)
Booked: None
Attendance: 19,143 (1,241 Southampton)
