Each of the last four league meetings between Coventry and Swansea had finished as draws, with each of those matches witnessing a different scoreline (0-0, 1-1, 2-2 and 3-3).
Swansea City kept up their impressive recent form as they completed a bad week for Coventry City with a 2-1 win.
The Sky Blues’ EFL Cup disappointment was compounded by the Swans who were rewarded for a quick start that saw them take the lead through Liam Cullen’s opportunistic finish.
Oli Cooper’s run and firm finish put Swansea 2-0 ahead, but Jack Rudoni’s deflected effort immediately got Coventry back into contention.
Both sides missed chances in a second half delayed by a torrential downpour that saw the referee take the players off the pitch, but Swansea held firm.
Sky Blues boss Mark Robins made six changes from his side’s 1-1 draw with Watford last weekend, keeping faith with the outfield players who pushed Tottenham to their limits in their 2-1 EFL Cup defeat on Wednesday.
Swansea were able to recall Josh Tymon for veteran Kyle Naughton in their only change from their 1-0 win over Norwich, with boss Luke Williams hoping to continue the Welsh club’s superb record against their opponents.
Coventry had failed to win any of their previous 17 games against Swansea with their last win coming in 1981, with the Swans unbeaten in their previous eight visits to Coventry.
It did not take long for the visitors to continue their impressive form against the hosts as they took the lead inside 10 minutes as Cullen reacted quickest in a crowded penalty box as the Sky Blues failed to clear a Swansea free-kick.
Eom Ji-Sung had already produced a scare for the hosts before they went behind and they continued to probe, with Ji-Sung heading wide and Oli Cooper seeing an effort blocked.
However, the hosts were also creating opportunities with Norman Bassette and Brandon Thomas-Astante both coming close to equalising before Swansea doubled their advantage as Cooper struck home sweetly as Coventry’s defence backed off him.
Swansea’s two-goal advantage lasted for only a minute as Rudoni’s deflected effort offered a road to recovery for the hosts, who also lost midfielder Jamie Allen to injury in the 24th minute.
Coventry might well have had parity at the interval, but Bassette’s header struck the crossbar, with Rudoni denied by Lawrence Vigouroux who saved his rebound effort.
Vigouroux was the busier goalkeeper after the interval and needed to be at his best to save efforts from Milan van Ewijk and Ephron Mason-Clark, while substitute Victor Torp fired wide.
However, torrential rain continued to pour down, with referee James Linington making the decision to take the players off the pitch for a delay of about five minutes.
Both sides missed good chances after the delay, with Ronald’s effort saved by Oliver Dovin before Tatsuhiro Sakamoto headed over from Mason-Clark’s inviting cross.
The rain delay saw eight minutes added on as Coventry pushed for an equaliser, but Swansea deservedly saw out the game despite Coventry throwing players forward.
Coventry City boss Mark Robins told BBC Radio CWR Sport:
“It was frustrating, the first 35 minutes was nothing like us, we didn’t start.
“From the other night (the Tottenham game) I don’t normally like to procrastinate over things, but normally I would make changes, but I wanted to keep the same team because they were so good the other night for 84 minutes.
“It teaches me a lesson because I can’t do that and they proved I can’t do that. There were clear instructions for them to follow and they didn’t do that, for whatever reason and I take that responsibility.
“Whether you are tired or not I expect to put the opponents under pressure for 90 minutes and we allowed them the freedom of Coventry and allowed them to score two goals.”
Swansea City boss Luke Williams told BBC Radio Wales Sport:
“It’s very satisfying to get our first away win of the season, for the first 45 minutes we were very good and to do that away from home is really encouraging.
“When the players went off (for the weather delay) there was a lot of anxiety, the players were asking if the game had been abandoned and the staff were anxious because we were trying to keep the players calm and focused.
“It was an unusual event and a bit disconcerting, but the players managed to re-focus themselves and got the job done.”
