Coventry City defender Elliott Ward never doubted his ability to keep his cool from the penalty spot - as he showed with Saturday's matchwinner.

After missing at Sheffield United the week before, Ward this time converted a penalty to see off Queens Park Rangers at the Ricoh Arena.

It earned Chris Coleman's men victory over Ward's old boss Iain Dowie.

"I was always confident," Ward told BBC Coventry & Warwickshire. "If you miss, you've got to bounce back."

Ward's success from the spot was made all the more impressive, given that his team-mate Aron Einar Gunnarsson had publicly offered to take over penalty-taking duties from him.

Coventry's win sent them climbing back up the Championship table to eighth, on the same mark as Reading, the team in the last of the play-off positions.

The Sky Blues must now travel to Blackpool on Saturday to meet Simon Grayson's Seasiders, who lie just two places below them after a 1-0 weekend of their own - their shock victory over Birmingham City at St Andrew's.