COVENTRY City kept their play-off hopes alive with an excellent 2-1 win against title-chasing Leeds United in front of a record crowd at the CBS Arena.
Goals either side of the break from Ellis Simms and Haji Wright handed the Sky Blues a deserved two-goal lead before Joel Piroe halved the deficit for the visitors with the game played in front of 30,232 supporters – a league record at the CBS Arena.
The result means Coventry remain seventh in the Championship table, four points behind Norwich City with a game in-hand.
After early Leeds pressure, the Sky Blues created the first chance of the game when Simms released Wright down the left as Illan Meslier pushed the forward’s deflected effort behind for a corner.
From the resulting corner, Bobby Thomas kept the ball alive at the back post before centre-back partner Liam Kitching nodded a high ball towards goal and Simms pounced to head home from virtually on the goalline.
City almost doubled their lead moments later as Callum O’Hare and Wright combined for a neat one-two in the box as Meslier made a crucial save with his legs.
Soon after, Kasey Palmer saw his shot from distance easily held by Meslier before Simms fired a half volley wide as the Sky Blues went into the break with a deserved lead.
However, it took City just four minutes to strike after the interval as Wright deftly guided Josh Eccles’ superb cross into the bottom right corner of the goal.
Leeds forced Sky Blues goalkeeper Bradley Collins into his first meaningful save when he reacted quickly to turn Crysencio Summerville’s deflected cross behind for a corner.
And Jake Bidwell made a stunning diving header clearance to turn Summerville’s curling shot over the bar at the back post.
The visitors eventually halved the deficit on 76 minutes as the ball broke to substitute Piroe in the box and the Leeds striker picked out the right corner of the goal.
Sky Blues keeper Collins made an important save in injury time to keep out Piroe’s tame effort with his foot as City held to claim a fine victory.
