COVENTRY City missed the chance to close the gap to their play-off rivals following a 2-1 defeat away at promotion hopefuls West Bromwich Albion.
Haji Wright’s second-half penalty kept the Sky Blues in the contest after first-half goals from Mikey Johnston and Grady Diangana put the Baggies in command at The Hawthorns.
And the result means Coventry sit ninth in the Championship table, five points outside of the play-off places.
West Brom broke the deadlock after just six minutes when Johnston nutmegged Milan van Ewijk before cutting in from the left and lashing a shot into the right corner of the goal.
City almost drew level later in the half from a well-worked corner routine as Victor Torp found Josh Eccles in space 20-yards from goal only for the midfielder to fire a shot inches wide of the target.
And the visitors spurned another chance to equalise soon after when Kasey Palmer curled an effort wide from distance.
The Baggies doubled their lead on 36 minutes as Diangana volleyed Tom Fellows’ cross from the right into the bottom right corner via the aid of the post.
Mark Robins’ side won a penalty on 72 minutes when Cédric Kipré tripped Palmer in the box and Wright stepped up to send Alex Palmer the wrong way from the spot, firing the ball to the keeper’s right.
However, City were unable to find an equaliser in the remaining minutes as the Sky Blues suffered back-to-back league defeats for the first time since Ocotber/November last year.
Coventry are next in action against Rotherham United on Tuesday, March 5 with kick-off at 7.45pm at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
