COVENTRY City suffered a fourth straight defeat on the road after the Sky Blues were edged out 1-0 by a resurgent West Bromwhich Albion side.
Grady Diangana’s 15th minute strike settled a drab affair at The Hawthorns with Coventry yet to win on their travels since the turn of the year.
And the result means Coventry sit 15th in the Sky Bet Championship table, six points behind West Brom who occupy the final play-off place.
The home side made a fast start as Daryl Dike headed over the crossbar from close range in the opening few minutes after Luke McNally miscued his attempted clearance.
However, the Sky Blues should have taken the lead when Gustavo Hamer and Jamie Allen exchanged passes before the latter played a square ball across the box that was turned inches past the post by Viktor Gyokeres from four yards out under pressure from an Albion defender.
A frantic first quarter hour continued when Jed Wallace’s first-time shot came back off the base of Ben Wilson’s right-hand post before Coventry scrambled the ball to safety.
And the Baggies eventually made their pressure count as Diangana turned the ball home from a yard out at the back post after Wallace flicked on a long throw from the right.
The visitors had Wilson to thank for keeping them in the contest in the second period as the Coventry stopper stood tall to keep out Dike’s shot when one-on-one.
City refused to give up and went close at the other end as David Button pushed Hamer’s free-kick from 20-yards out to safety.
The final chance of the game fell to Gyokeres as the Swede blazed over the crossbar from just inside the penalty area after Allen intercepted a loose pass from John Swift.
Coventry are next in action at home to Luton Town on Saturday, February 11 with kick-off at 3pm at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
