Brandon Thomas-Asante's winner against Bristol City was his fourth goal of the season in all competitions
Coventry City extended their unbeaten home run in the Championship to six games with a narrow victory against play-off-chasing Bristol City.
Brandon Thomas-Asante's powerful second-half finish was enough to give Frank Lampard's side all three points in a game of few clear-cut chances.
The Sky Blues – who also made it three consecutive home league clean sheets for this first time this campaign – move up to 14th in table.
Defeat for Bristol City, just their second in eight league games, means they remain in ninth and four points off sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion.
Eight points and seven places separated these two sides at kick-off, but there was little to choose between a pair of teams currently fighting for different ambitions this Championship season.
The highlight of a quiet opening 45 came early on, when Nahki Wells found himself clean through for the visiting Robins, only for Oliver Dovin to stand firm in the home goal.
At the other end, Victor Torp and Milan van Ewijk were both unable to direct efforts on target, the former from just outside the 18-yard box, the latter from close range after firing a shot down into the ground.
There was more to keep the 26,000+ in the Coventry Building Society Arena entertained after the break, and there were some nervous moments for the home crowd to sit through as first Scott Twine and then Wells had shots blocked for the visitors.
Ellis Simms set up Jack Rudoni for Coventry after the break, but the midfielder could not adjust his feet in time to trouble Max O'Leary.
Simms then had a sight of goal for himself, but was unable to hit the target.
The eventual winner was one of real quality from Thomas-Asante, who smashed home via the underside of the crossbar from a narrow angle after being played through by Rudoni – a first goal for the former West Brom forward since October.
Home keeper Dovin was called into action again to prevent Sam Bell levelling things up, while Max Bird fired over as the visitors searched for the equaliser.
Jamie Allen could have made the game safe for Lampard's side, only for O'Leary to deny him.
The clean sheet was just the sixth of the league season for Coventry – who avoided a repeat of their previous two games, where they conceded twice in injury time against Norwich last time out in the league, before shipping a late equaliser in last week's FA Cup tie with Sheffield Wednesday.
Not a 'beautiful game' but 'a good result to get' - reaction
Coventry City manager Frank Lampard told BBC CWR:
"It was a very good result to get, I am very pleased with the mentality and character of the team. We are missing some bodies, but players are coming in and doing their job.
"We had to fight to get the clean sheet and we got a goal I thought we deserved through the pressure we put on them, it was a real moment of quality from Brandon [Thomas-Asante].
"It wasn't a beautiful game. There was good stuff, but some moments of turnovers, misplaced passes and bad decisions in there as well.
"I was happy how we managed the game towards the end, though, so I can't complain. There were some real work ethics hidden in the performance too."
Lampard post Bristol City victory
Bristol City boss Liam Manning told BBC Radio Bristol:
"It was a frustrating afternoon, and a difficult game. The pitch played terribly, but in a nutshell, we didn't take our chances and they took theirs.
"I thought we had the better opportunities, we found it difficult quality-wise at times, but you have to try and still come away with something.
"There are a lot of games still to go and it is up to us to hit the levels we are capable of. There was nothing wrong with the team giving everything today, but the quality was not where it needed to be.
"We have to adapt in these scenarios to find a way and execute - we gave away a bit of a soft goal and that was the frustration."
Coventry City 1-0 Bristol City
What's Next?
Both these sides are in action again in midweek, both away from home.
Lampard will take his Coventry side to Blackburn on Tuesday (19:45 GMT), while a visit to Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough awaits Manning's Robins on Wednesday (19:45 GMT)
