COVENTRY CITY 1-0 TRANMERE ROVERS
Murphy (GK), Wood, Edjenguele, Adams, Christie, Jennings, Fleck (Thomas, 64) Baker (c), McSheffrey, Moussa (Elliott 64), Clarke. Subs: Dunn (GK), J. Clarke, Cameron, Bell, Barton.
Tranmere Rovers: Fon-Williams (GK), Holmes, Taylor (c), Palmer, Harrison (Stockton 61), Bakayogo, Power, Amoo (Bell-Baggie 77), O'Halloran (McGurk 61), Daniels, Akpa Akpro. Subs: Mooney (GK), Black, Goodison, Robinson, McGurk, Stockton.
HT CCFC 1-0 TRFC FT CCFC 1-0 TRFC
ATT 9,668
Goals Leon Clarke 19
Referee Gavin Ward
Booked Bakayago, Holmes
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Coventry City worked hard and rode their luck to beat Tranmere Rovers 1-0 in a hard fought game at the Ricoh Arena tonight.
On an absolute bitter night with temperatures of minus three, which proved to be an expensive one for one of long time regular visitors from Northern Ireland who missed his 7am flight and paid £250 to ensure he was on a later flight that got him at the Ricoh Arena to see a City team that had one change from the side beaten at Carlisle with Cyrus Christie replacing Jordan Clarke.
City, who are not making a statement about Ricoh Arena bail out, attacked the end where the Tranmere fans who were not in the numbers we would take it we were top of the division, for the first half.
After a fifth minute chance for City was blasted wide, a Wood shot won a corner before the favourite football team of Half Man Half Biscuit had a free kick and two corners. The second of which saw Baker break away and Fon Williams grab the ball ahead of Leon Clarke.
In the 19th minute, following a corner, City took the lead when Richard Wood headed on and Leon Clarke headed in.
Blair Adams, in the last game of his current loan, whipped in a cross, which Fon Williams punched away before a City corner on the half hour mark came to nothing.
Clarke wasted a good chance in the 36th minute with a tame header as City completed a good half.
City were straight back at it when the second half commenced with Leon Clarke winning a corner. That was dealt with and the visitors, in their all yellow kit, broke winning a corner from a Palmer shot.
Five minutes in and Baker went on a great run down the right and cut back for Moussa to fire wide.
Moussa then turned provider being involved in an attack, which saw Steve Jennings fire just past Fon Williams left hand post.
In the 56th minute, the referee missed Carl Baker getting a bang on the head from Bakayago. This lead to a corner, which saw the lively McSheffrey get in a shot that the keeper saved.
A free kick and corner for City followed before Ronnie Moore went for a double change and Mark Robins did likewise with Conor Thomas and Stephen Elliott coming.
With twenty minutes, a Murphy save gave away a corner. This started a scramble with a Murphy save and three blocks before another corner was conceded.
Fon Williams grabbed a free kick and with ten minutes left and the City fans finding their voice, Baker fired wide.
With six minutes to go, Bayakago missed a sitter and an Elliott shot was saved as the Sky Blues held on to record a deserved victory.