Sweden international Viktor Gyokeres hit his 10th goal of the season and his first since 2 October
Coventry City closed the gap to the Championship play-off places with a deserved win over a below-par Stoke City at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
Viktor Gyokeres hit the winner midway through the second half, looping a 20-yard shot into the bottom corner as the hosts took advantage of sloppy defending from the visitors.
Potters goalkeeper Jack Bonham denied Gyokeres three times in the first half, including a point-blank stop just before the break.
Coventry almost added a second when substitute Martyn Waghorn drove a long-range shot past the post, but they comfortably saw out late Stoke pressure.
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Both sides went into the match within range of the play-off places, but without form, with Coventry managing only a second win in nine league matches and Stoke suffering a fourth defeat in five in the Championship.
The Potters had conceded only once in their five previous away trips, but had Bonham, and a wasteful attack, to thank for not falling to a heavier defeat.
As well as a hat-trick of saves from Sweden forward Gyokeres, the Stoke keeper also had to be alert to tip over Gustavo Hamer's corner as Coventry gradually upped the pressure in a goalless first half.
The momentum remained with the hosts after the break as Josh Eccles headed Hamer's corner just wide, and it finally took a mistake from the visitors to give Mark Robins' side the winner.
Trying to play out from the back, the visitors gave the ball away to Ben Sheaf who slid in Gyokeres to end a goal drought that had stretched back to early October.
O'Hare also fired a late chance wide, but Coventry easily held on to move up to ninth, four points off the play-off spots, while Stoke drop to 11th.
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsCoventry
Formation 3-4-2-1
1Moore15Hyam5McFadzean3Clarke-Salter28Eccles14Sheaf38Hamer27Bidwell8Allen26Shipley17Gyökeres
- 1Moore15Hyam5McFadzean3Clarke-SalterBooked at 53mins28EcclesSubstituted forDa Costaat 90'minutes14SheafBooked at 30mins38HamerSubstituted forO'Hareat 65'minutes27Bidwell8Allen26ShipleySubstituted forWaghornat 65'minutes17Gyökeres
Substitutes
- 4Rose9Waghorn10O'Hare13Wilson22Reid29Da Costa30Tavares
Stoke
Formation 3-5-2
13Bonham24Harwood-Bellis19Jagielka5Chester2Smith23Ince42Baker7Clucas14Tymon32Wright-Phillips18Brown
- 13Bonham24Harwood-Bellis19JagielkaBooked at 88mins5ChesterSubstituted forPowellat 75'minutes2Smith23Ince42Baker7ClucasSubstituted forAllenat 60'minutes14Tymon32Wright-PhillipsSubstituted forPhilogene-Bidaceat 60'minutes18Brown
Substitutes
- 3Fox4Allen8Vrancic10Campbell25Powell29Fielding47Philogene-Bidace
Referee:John BrooksMatch StatsHome TeamCoventryAway TeamStokePossessionHome44%Away56%ShotsHome14Away7Shots on TargetHome4Away0CornersHome5Away5FoulsHome6Away9Live TextPost update
Match ends, Coventry City 1, Stoke City 0.
90'+6'Full Time
Second Half ends, Coventry City 1, Stoke City 0.
90'+6'Post update
Attempt missed. Ben Sheaf (Coventry City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
90'+5'Post update
Foul by Jaden Philogene-Bidace (Stoke City).
90'+5'Post update
Martyn Waghorn (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90'+4'Post update
Foul by Joe Allen (Stoke City).
90'+4'Post update
Dominic Hyam (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+3'Post update
Attempt missed. Callum O'Hare (Coventry City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
90'+3'Post update
Attempt blocked. Viktor Gyökeres (Coventry City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
90'+1'Post update
Foul by Nick Powell (Stoke City).
90'+1'Post update
Julien Da Costa (Coventry City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
90'Substitution
Substitution, Coventry City. Julien Da Costa replaces Josh Eccles because of an injury.
89'Post update
Attempt missed. Viktor Gyökeres (Coventry City) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Jamie Allen with a cross.
88'Booking
Phil Jagielka (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
87'Post update
Foul by Phil Jagielka (Stoke City).
87'Post update
Josh Eccles (Coventry City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
86'Post update
Attempt missed. Jaden Philogene-Bidace (Stoke City) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Josh Tymon.
84'Post update
Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Jake Bidwell.
84'Post update
Offside, Coventry City. Jake Clarke-Salter tries a through ball, but Martyn Waghorn is caught offside.
79'Post update
Foul by Lewis Baker (Stoke City).
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Source: bbc.com