The Dons did have their moments but their miserable evening was completed when full-back Darren Holloway was ordered off for a second yellow card late on. Coventry made all the early running but woeful finishing meant the game remained deadlocked at the break. Andy Morrell was the most lively player on the pitch in the opening period and he volleyed wide after five minutes after good work from Claus Jorgensen. The former Wrexham striker then turned on the edge of the area and hit a snap shot which drifted just wide as the Sky Blues continued to press. Dons' defender Holloway was lucky to escape a red card in the 17th minute when he hauled down Jorgensen who looked to have a free run on goal, but referee Steve Bennett chose to show him a yellow card. Coventry were without their influential player boss Gary McAllister who missed the match for personal reasons, but they should have taken the lead on 19 minutes when Graham Barrett diverted Dele Adebola's cross on to the post. With Wimbledon keeper Paul Heald still on the ground, it left the goal gaping for Yazid Mansouri but he shot over the bar from four yards. That sparked Wimbledon into life and they took the initiative away from the home side. Joel McAnuff released Pat Agyemang in the area and he went round Scott Shearer but took the ball too far to get a shot in himself. Instead he pulled the ball back for Mikele Leigertwood who fired towards the bottom corner but Shearer had recovered his position and tipped wide. A few moments later Dean Holdsworth wasted a good chance by firing wide from 12 yards before midfielder Adam Nowland struck a free-kick into the wall from the edge of the box. Coventry thought they should have had a penalty on the stroke of half time when Heald appeared to bring down Morrell but referee Bennett felt the striker had taken a dive and cautioned him. The home side began the second half on top as Morrell and Adebola both had chances to head them into the lead but both failed to trouble Heald. Nowland almost gave his side a shock lead in the 53rd minute when he hit a shot from 30 yards which rattled the post and left Shearer standing. Coventry substitute Pead finally broke the deadlock just after the hour mark when he took advantage of Jermaine Darlington's mistake. The 22-year-old midfielder spotted Heald off his line before delicately lobbing the ball up and over the keeper and into the net. It got worse for Wimbledon ten minutes later when Holloway was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence when he fouled Morrell on the touchline.