Coventry City 2-3 Port Vale

Tony Mowbray has replaced Steven Pressley as manager at the Ricoh Arena

Port Vale maintained their push for the play-offs with victory at the Ricoh Arena to spoil new Coventry City boss Tony Mowbray's public unveiling.

Mowbray's side went ahead early on, with Jim O'Brien's low right-foot shot creeping in from 25 yards.

Tom Pope and Coventry old boy Mark Marshall turned it round with two goals in five minutes just before the break.

But despite Sanmi Odelusi coming off the bench to level, Michael O'Connor's superb free-kick gave Vale the points.

Coventry led in the fourth minute when skipper O'Brien's speculative effort somehow found Vale keeper Chris Neal's bottom right corner.

The looked comfortable for the lead, but it all changed after a long break in play when Vale's on-loan Crystal Palace defender Ryan Inniss was stretchered off after coming off worst in a high challenge on Marcus Tudgay that also saw him booked.

Vale top scorer Pope evaded the linesman's flag as he cashed in a ricochet to steer home an angled left-footed poke from close range.

Five minutes later, Marshall worked a neat one-two with Byron Moore to score against his old club.

Mowbray's double substitution looked to have done the trick inside eight minutes when on-loan Bolton Wanderers winger Odelusi broke fast down the right to latch onto Frank Nouble's nicely-weighted pass and blasted home a fierce angled right-foot shot from 15 yards.

But Coventry were back on level terms for just five minutes before O'Connor curled a stunning right-foot free-kick round the-wall after he had been fouled by John Fleck to earn victory for Vale boss - and Sky Blues old boy - Rob Page.

Vale's third successive away win leaves them just two points off the League One play-offs, while Coventry remain a point clear of trouble.

Coventry City manager Tony Mowbray told BBC Coventry & Warwickshire:

"We're a pretty young team, pretty naive at times. When it got back to two all, I thought only one team was going to win it, but unfortunately it didn't work out that way.

"It's a work in progress for me, really, and we have to find a way to win.

"I couldn't fault the players' endeavour and determination, but it's obviously frustrating because we need points.

"We have to stick at it, we have to stand up and be counted. This one has gone now and we have to focus on the goals ahead - Tuesday night is the only important thing."

Port Vale manager Rob Page told BBC Radio Stoke:

"We got off to the worst possible start, conceding an early goal, but the boys dug in well, once we'd got used to the pitch, which took us a while as it's not great.

"But we worked our socks off, just as we did at Walsall and Notts County. We work very hard without the ball and it's a big plus for us to be able to spread the goals around like we did.

"Ryan Inniss is having an X-ray on his ankle. I think he might have landed awkwardly on it. It's not good to see a young player being stretchered off like that."