Freddy Eastwood sealed the points for Coventry as Nottingham Forest missed the chance to make up ground at the Championship summit.
Eastwood prodded in a close-range rebound midway through the first half after Forest keeper Lee Camp had stopped a Richard Wood effort.
Joe Garner and Guy Moussi both headed narrowly wide as third-placed Forest dominated for long stretches.
Gary Deegan and Michael McIndoe both threatened for City late on.
Coventry manager Chris Coleman: "Forest are one of the best teams in the league so it's a good result. We knew it would be a hard match but the lads were fantastic.
"Some of our defending was top notch and our strikers did well against a very strong defence.
"We said don't sit back and we didn't - but they pushed us back. We had one or two scary moments but we did well."
Nottingham Forest boss Billy Davies: "We sit four points off the top of the league and are in a wonderful position with 16 games to go.
"We've got to appreciate the position we're in and look forward. I said to the players that this is an experience for them and they should enjoy it.
"They should be proud of where we are. They've given themselves a great chance and there will be no disappointments."
Live text and stats
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Championship
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Coventry
1-0
Nottm Forest
FT
(HT 1-0)
Eastwood 25
Coventry
01 Westwood
02 Wright
06 McPake yellow card
15 Cranie
24 Wood yellow card
04 Clingan
07 Bell (Baker 81 yellow card)
17 Gunnarsson (Deegan 63)
21 McIndoe yellow card
10 Eastwood
11 Morrison
Substitutes
13 Konstantopoulos,
14 Hussey,
22 Barnett,
34 Grandison,
12 Deegan,
18 Baker,
36 Jeffers
Nottm Forest
01 Camp
05 Morgan
06 Wilson
16 Gunter
07 Anderson (McGoldrick 72)
15 Cohen
18 McKenna
19 Moussi (McGugan 77)
28 Majewski
14 Garner (Earnshaw 68)
23 Blackstock
Substitutes
21 Smith,
02 Perch,
04 Chambers,
08 McGugan,
09 Adebola,
10 Earnshaw,
17 McGoldrick
Ref: BatesAtt: 18,225
COVENTRY
NOTTM FOREST
Possession
Coventry44%
Nottm Forest56%
Attempts on target
Coventry3
Nottm Forest3
Attempts off target
Coventry6
Nottm Forest8
Corners
Coventry4
Nottm Forest5
Fouls
Coventry15
Nottm Forest14
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+7:30 The referee signals the end of the game.
90:00+7:21 Radoslaw Majewski sends in a cross.
90:00+5:23 Short corner worked by Clinton Morrison.
90:00+4:07 The ball is sent over by Paul McKenna, Keiren Westwood makes a comfortable save.
90:00+1:15 Michael McIndoe takes a shot. Save made by Lee Camp.
89:30 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Carl Baker by Chris Cohen. Sammy Clingan delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right wing.
87:42 Paul McKenna gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Carl Baker. Direct free kick taken by Stephen Wright.
86:47 Close range effort by Gary Deegan goes wide of the right-hand upright.
85:52 Booking The referee shows Carl Baker a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
85:05 Unfair challenge on Paul McKenna by Carl Baker results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Lee Camp.
84:57 Carl Baker crosses the ball, Kelvin Wilson makes a clearance.
83:53 David McGoldrick concedes a free kick for a foul on Stephen Wright. Keiren Westwood takes the direct free kick.
82:03 Dexter Blackstock is ruled offside. Free kick taken by Keiren Westwood.
81:42 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Dexter Blackstock by James McPake. Direct free kick taken by Paul McKenna.
81:03 Dexter Blackstock concedes a free kick for a foul on Richard Wood. Richard Wood takes the free kick.
80:12 Substitution Carl Baker on for David Bell.
79:51 Clinton Morrison has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the left of the goal.
78:59 The assistant referee signals for offside against Robert Earnshaw. Indirect free kick taken by Keiren Westwood.
77:01 Unfair challenge on Radoslaw Majewski by Gary Deegan results in a free kick. Wes Morgan takes the free kick.
76:23 Substitution Guy Moussi goes off and Lewis McGugan comes on.
75:47 Dexter Blackstock takes a shot. Sammy Clingan gets a block in.
73:53 Chris Cohen gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Clinton Morrison. Free kick crossed right-footed by Sammy Clingan from right wing, David McGoldrick gets a block in.
73:19 Robert Earnshaw is ruled offside. Keiren Westwood takes the free kick.
72:33 Gary Deegan produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the right of the target.
72:29 Michael McIndoe delivers the ball.
71:31 Free kick crossed by Sammy Clingan, clearance by Kelvin Wilson.
71:31 Substitution David McGoldrick joins the action as a substitute, replacing Paul Anderson.
71:31 Chris Gunter concedes a free kick for a foul on Michael McIndoe.
68:03 Shot from just outside the penalty box by Paul McKenna misses to the left of the target.
67:56 The ball is swung over by Chris Gunter, Richard Wood manages to make a clearance.
67:26 Substitution Robert Earnshaw comes on in place of Joe Garner.
66:28 Corner taken left-footed by Chris Cohen, save made by Keiren Westwood.
66:18 The ball is crossed by Chris Gunter, save by Keiren Westwood.
65:41 Paul McKenna takes the direct free kick.
65:41 Booking Michael McIndoe is cautioned by the ref for time wasting.
65:16 Radoslaw Majewski fouled by Martin Cranie, the ref awards a free kick.
64:04 Freddy Eastwood produces a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that misses to the left of the target.
63:28 Radoslaw Majewski sends in a cross.
63:01 Freddy Eastwood gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Wes Morgan. Lee Camp takes the free kick.
62:07 Substitution Aron Gunnarsson goes off and Gary Deegan comes on.
60:48 Radoslaw Majewski has an effort at goal from outside the box which goes wide right of the target.
60:40 A cross is delivered by Paul Anderson, James McPake makes a clearance.
59:14 David Bell delivers the ball, clearance made by Wes Morgan.
58:48 Corner from right by-line crossed in by David Bell, Kelvin Wilson makes a clearance.
58:43 David Bell crosses the ball, clearance by Kelvin Wilson.
58:06 Chris Cohen sends in a cross.
57:56 A cross is delivered by Chris Gunter, Richard Wood manages to make a clearance.
55:24 Joe Garner produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the net.
54:55 Kelvin Wilson fouled by Aron Gunnarsson, the ref awards a free kick. Chris Cohen restarts play with the free kick.
53:42 Dexter Blackstock is ruled offside. Keiren Westwood takes the indirect free kick.
53:26 Chris Cohen produces a cross, Stephen Wright makes a clearance.
52:43 Radoslaw Majewski takes a inswinging corner to the near post, James McPake manages to make a clearance.
52:15 Radoslaw Majewski takes a shot. James McPake gets a block in.
51:57 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Wes Morgan by Aron Gunnarsson. Paul McKenna takes the direct free kick.
48:20 Free kick awarded for a foul by Michael McIndoe on Joe Garner. Centre by Chris Cohen, Guy Moussi produces a headed effort from deep inside the six-yard box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
47:19 Centre by Clinton Morrison, Wes Morgan manages to make a clearance.
46:25 The referee blows for offside against Dexter Blackstock. Richard Wood takes the indirect free kick.
45:38 Guy Moussi has shot on goal from just outside the area which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
45:01 The match restarts for the second half.
Half Time
45:00+2:07 It is the end of the first-half.
45:00+1:27 The ball is sent over by Paul Anderson.
44:26 Paul Anderson handles the ball and concedes a free kick. Stephen Wright takes the free kick.
42:36 Free kick awarded for a foul by Paul McKenna on Aron Gunnarsson. Sammy Clingan delivers the ball, Headed effort from deep inside the area by Richard Wood misses to the right of the target.
42:13 The ball is crossed by Wes Morgan, save by Keiren Westwood.
40:53 Unfair challenge on Richard Wood by Joe Garner results in a free kick. Keiren Westwood takes the free kick.
40:14 The ball is crossed by Martin Cranie.
39:34 The assistant referee flags for offside against Wes Morgan. Keiren Westwood takes the indirect free kick.
38:31 Chris Cohen crosses the ball in from the free kick, clearance by Stephen Wright.
38:31 Booking James McPake booked for unsporting behaviour.
37:42 Foul by James McPake on Dexter Blackstock, free kick awarded.
36:30 Corner taken by David Bell played to the near post, free kick awarded for a foul by Freddy Eastwood on Kelvin Wilson. Free kick taken by Lee Camp.
36:20 The ball is swung over by Michael McIndoe, save made by Lee Camp.
35:34 The ball is swung over by Joe Garner, comfortable save by Keiren Westwood.
32:52 Centre by Martin Cranie, clearance made by Chris Cohen.
32:39 The ball is swung over by David Bell, Wes Morgan makes a clearance.
31:30 Corner taken by Radoslaw Majewski from the left by-line, Dexter Blackstock challenges James McPake unfairly and gives away a free kick. Keiren Westwood takes the direct free kick.
30:48 Unfair challenge on Radoslaw Majewski by Richard Wood results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Paul McKenna.
29:55 Headed effort on goal by Joe Garner from inside the penalty box misses to the right of the goal.
29:29 Corner taken by Chris Cohen, Richard Wood manages to make a clearance.
29:02 Chris Cohen delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from left channel, Michael McIndoe manages to make a clearance.
29:02 Booking Richard Wood goes into the book for unsporting behaviour.
28:22 Free kick awarded for a foul by Richard Wood on Dexter Blackstock.
27:46 Paul Anderson produces a volleyed right-footed shot from deep inside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand upright.
27:23 Corner taken by Radoslaw Majewski from the left by-line.
27:15 Chris Cohen sends in a cross, James McPake makes a clearance.
24:30 Martin Cranie provided the assist for the goal.
24:30 GOAL - Freddy Eastwood:Coventry 1 - 0 Nottm Forest Freddy Eastwood scores a goal from close range to the top left corner of the goal. Coventry 1-0 Nottm Forest.
23:00 Clinton Morrison crosses the ball, Martin Cranie takes a shot. Fantastic save by Lee Camp.
22:36 Paul McKenna gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Aron Gunnarsson. Free kick taken by Sammy Clingan.
21:14 Free kick awarded for a foul by Joe Garner on David Bell. Direct free kick taken by Keiren Westwood.
18:18 Joe Garner fouled by Michael McIndoe, the ref awards a free kick. Wes Morgan takes the free kick.
17:40 Paul Anderson crosses the ball, save by Keiren Westwood.
15:07 Unfair challenge on Clinton Morrison by Kelvin Wilson results in a free kick. The ball is crossed by Sammy Clingan, Header on goal by Aron Gunnarsson from inside the box goes harmlessly over the target.
8:53 The offside flag is raised against Paul Anderson. Keiren Westwood restarts play with the free kick.
7:45 Martin Cranie fouled by Chris Gunter, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Keiren Westwood.
6:38 Radoslaw Majewski produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that goes wide right of the goal.
5:55 Joe Garner takes a shot. Save by Keiren Westwood.
5:32 Foul by Richard Wood on Radoslaw Majewski, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Paul McKenna.
3:28 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Michael McIndoe, Lee Camp makes a save.
1:03 Dexter Blackstock gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Richard Wood. Free kick taken by Keiren Westwood.
0:18 Joe Garner fouled by Martin Cranie, the ref awards a free kick. Chris Cohen crosses the ball from the free kick left-footed from right channel, Martin Cranie manages to make a clearance.
0:00 The referee gets the game underway.
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