Coventry City secured their first win since Blackpool at Bloomfield Road, as they beat Millwall 2-1 at the Ricoh Arena.
Byron Webster put the visitors ahead from a corner, before a screamer from John Fleck and a Marcus Tudgay goal secured the points for the Sky Blues.
Adam Armstrong made his return to the starting XI as did Joe Cole and Ruben Lameiras. Andy Rose partnered John Fleck in central midfield, with Romain Vincelot continuing in an advanced midfield role. The back four remained unchanged for the third consecutive game running.
Aaron Phillips came closest in the opening stages of the game, volleying just wide in the 13th minute. A cross from the left-wing was cleared by the Millwall defence, but it fell kindly for Phillips on the edge of the box, who hit it on the volley, but his effort was just wide of the bottom left.
But, it was the Lions that would take the lead in the 19th minute. Shane Ferguson whipped in a corner from the right and Millwall defender Byron Webster rose to head the ball past Reice Charles-Cook at the near post.
City did have the ball in the net in the 25th minute but it was ruled out for offside. The ball was played into Adam Armstrong down the right of the area, and the forward managed to twist and jink his way into a scoring position, but his shot rebounded of the defender into the path of Joe Cole who fired in, but the linesman judged it to be offside.
Two minutes later, controversy struck the match as Shaun Williams was sent off for Millwall. Ruben Lameiras had been moving back into position after a Sky Blue attack, when Williams seem to strike the winger on the head so the referee produced a red.
Into the four minutes of added time at the end of the first half, substitute James Maddison came agonisingly close to putting Tony Mowbray’s men back on level terms. City’s No.10 managed to find space in the area, proceeding to drill a left-footed shot just wide of the right corner.
As City look to draw the match level, Lameiras in space in the area, volleyed wide of the bottom left a minute into the start of the second half. However, on the hour mark, John Fleck sent the Sky Blue faithful into wild celebrations with a contender for goal of the season. Fleck collected the ball 25-yards out on the right of midfield, and curled an unstoppable drive which dipped over the helpless Archer, into the top right corner of the net.
Nine minutes later, the Sky Blues took the lead as substitute Marcus Tudgay scored his fifth goal of the season, to give the hosts the lead. A through ball was played over the Millwall defence down the right of the area and Tudgay managed to get a faint touch before the onrushing Lions’ keeper could get to the ball, sliding it in to the bottom corner.
Into added time it was end-to-end stuff. Reice Charles-Cook made a spectacular save diving to his right corner to deny Joseph Martin, as the Lions' full-back fired from the edge of the box. At the other end, a swift counter attack almost saw Maddison increase the lead, but the midfielder's shot sailed over the bar. Thus there were to be no more goals as the Sky Blues managed to hold on to claim a fully deserved first victory, since Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.
Attendance
11, 632 (1,862 away)
Teams
Coventry City: Charles-Cook (GK), Ricketts (C) (Tudgay 55), Martin, Stephens, Phillips, Fleck, Rose, Vincelot (Maddison 35), Lameiras (Lorentzson 84), Cole, Armstrong.
Subs: Addai (GK),Bigirimana, Murphy, Fortune.
Millwall: Archer (GK), Martin, Williams, Beavers, Webster, Ferguson, (Abdou 34) Taylor (Gregory 79), Morison (C), O'Brien (Upson 57), Thompson, Romeo.
Subs: Forde (GK), Craig, Onyedinma, Philpot.
YC: Webster, Abdou
RC: Williams