COVENTRY City recorded their first clean sheet of the season in a goalless draw against Birmingham City despite losing Gustavo Hamer to a late red card.
The Brazilian was shown a straight red card on 89 minutes for an off-the-ball incident, his second dismissal of the season, in a drab affair at St Andrew’s.
And the result means Coventry remain bottom and winless at the foot of the Sky Bet Championship table ahead of the international break.
Birmingham spurned a golden chance to take the lead when Juninho Bacuna blazed a shot well over the crossbar from 10-yards out from Tahith Chong’s low ball from the left.
Coventry’s first meaningful effort of the game came from Hamer who let fly from 30-yards out with his shot pushed to safety by Blues goalkeeper John Ruddy.
And the midfielder went close again soon after with a powerful low shot from 20-yards out that missed the the left-hand post by inches with Ruddy beaten.
Another chance went begging when the balled was rolled into Jamie Allen just inside the penalty area only for the midfielder to flash an effort wide.
Mark Robins’ side were well on top in the West Midlands with Ben Sheaf next to try his luck as his effort went narrowly over the crossbar from 20-yards out.
Birmingham responded with a free-kick some 25-yards from goal as Bacuna curled a shot around the wall and into the arms of Ben Wilson who made the save low down to his left.
And the home side wasted a gilt-edged chance to snatch the points in the second period when Scott Hogan headed straight into the arms of Wilson with a free header six-yards out from Bacuna’s cross from the left.
Hamer received his marching orders late on when he was involved in a tussle with substitute Hannibal Mejbri on the ground as the two players battled for possession in the middle of the park.
And the Sky Blues were indebted to Wilson in injury time as the keeper made a stunning save from point blank range to keep out Auston Trusty’s goalbound effort to earn City a share of the spoils.
Coventry are next in action at home to Middlesbrough on Saturday, October 1 with kick-off at 3pm at 3pm at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
