The Sky Blues produce a spirited second half display but start 2008 with a 2-1 defeat against Bristol City at Ashton Gate.
City were rocked by an early Darren Byfield goal and appeared to be dead and buried when Marvin Elliott put the Robins two clear in the second half. Dele Adebola brought the visitors back into it and Leon Best should have equalised late on but it was not to be for Iain Dowie's men.
The home side started the game brightly and Andy Marshall was the first keeper to be called into action, making a good stop from Brian Wilson after he cut in from the right-hand side.
But it was only a temporary respite as Byfield opened the scoring in the fifth minute, smashing the ball past Marshall with a fine strike from 18 yards, with City's defence left at sixes and sevens.
It was an early blow to Coventry's aspirations and once again highlighted the side's defensive frailties. Against high-flying Bristol City, with three straight home wins ahead of this game, it was going to leave the Sky Blues with a tough challenge.
The Robins were threatening to extend their lead and a David Noble effort deflected narrowly wide of the target in the 23rd minute.
City got their first shot on target in the 33rd minute, when Michael Doyle forced Bristol keeper Adriano Basso into a good save with a shot from the edge of the box.
On the stroke of half time Leon Best fired a crisp 25 yard effort from a free-kick straight at Basso as City ended the half slightly better.
Elliott Ward came on for Isaac Osbourne at half time, forcing a defensive reshuffle as Gary Borrowdale switched to right-back and Ben Turner slotted in at left-back
Michael Mifsud went on a good run early in the second half but could not produce a shot until the angle was very tight, leaving Basso to produce a routine save. Adebola was next to force the Bristol shot stopper into action, when he went on a weaving run into the area and got his shot away, while Leon Best was denied by a goal saving block from Jamie McCombe after he had bundled past Basso before he hit the post from a tight angle after breaking clear of the Robins defence. It was better stuff from City who seemed revitalised after the half-time break.
On the hour mark Jay Tabb replaced Simpson, who looked like he was lacking match fitness on his return to the side following a two-month break with a hamstring tear.
After looking likely to get back into the match, City saw their hopes disappear in the 66th minute when Marvin Elliott headed the ball home to make it 2-0 after more shoddy defending at a set piece from the Sky Blues.
Iain Dowie's final roll of the dice came with just under 20 minutes remaining when Kevin Thornton replaced Mifsud and moments later Coventry were back in it when Adebola scored his second goal in as many games after being cleverly played through by Tabb.
Bristol boss Gary Johnson reacted by making a double attacking switch, bringing on Enoch Showunmi and Lee Trundle to keep City's defender's on their toes in the final ten minutes.
With 83 on the clock, Best spurned a golden opportunity to snatch a point for the Sky Blues, side-footing against the inside of the post from close range with the goal at his mercy and that was City's last chance of a frustrating game.
Bristol City: Basso; Orr; McCombe; Vasko; McAllister; Wilson; Johnson; Elliott; Sproule (Fontaine 88); Noble (Showunmi 78); Byfield (Trundle 78). Subs (not used): Murray; Weale
Booked: Vasko (75)
Coventry City: Marshall; Osbourne (Ward 46); Borrowdale; de Zeeuw; Turner; Hughes M; Simpson (Tabb 60); Doyle; Adebola; Best; Mifsud (Thornton 71). Subs (not used): Davis; Simmonds
Booked:Hughes (18)
Referee: P Taylor
Attendance: 15,899 (830)
