First-half goals from Giovani and Pablo Counago saw Town finish the season in style with a hat-trick of wins.

Giovani gave Blues the lead midway through the half with a deflected shot and Counago doubled the advantage within a minute with a cool finish after the ball had fallen to him six yards out.

Clinton Morrison pulled a goal back for the Sky Blues on 79 minutes and Robbie Simpson hit the bar with the last kick but Town held out for the win and a ninth place finish to the campaign.

Roy Keane was given a terrific ovation as he took his place in the dug-out for his first home game in charge of Blues, the new Town boss making two changes from the team that beat Cardiff last week.

Tommy Smith came in for first game since breaking his ankle in September with Matt Richards dropping to the bench, Jon Stead starting in place of Ivan Campo.

Robbie Simpson had the first opening of the game as Coventry started brightly, the midfielder firing just wide, Freddie Eastwood then denied by Alex Bruce's challenge inside the box.
Giovani and Counago linked up well from the first whistle, the Spaniard's backheel almost putting the Tottenham loanee in, Counago then spinning and shooting just wide.

Stead had the ball in the net but not before the flag was raised for offside, Leon Best going close at the other end for the Sky Blues.

Town made the breakthrough on 24 minutes, Counago, not for the first time switching the play to the right flank for Giovani who cut inside and saw his shot deflect off Ben Turner before nestling in the corner of the net.

Blues made it two a minute later, Counago finishing superbly with a cool chip over Keiren Westwood after Stead's shot had been blocked by James McPake.

Jaime Peters denied Eastwood with a terrific block as Coventry threatened to reduce the arrears immediately, Clinton Morrison booked soon after for dissent. Another backheel from the influential Counago almost put in Kevin Lisbie as Blues stretchered the Coventry defence.

The visitors were forced into a change on the half hour with McPake, who was clearly struggling after being knocked down by Stead's shot in the lead up to the second goal, replaced by Jermaine Grandison.

Best had a header saved by Richard Wright, Simpson dragging his shot just wide of the far post while Town's final effort of the half saw Owen Garvan fail to test Westwood after Counago had set him up on the edge of the box.

Simpson went close with a 12 yarder in the opening stages of the second-half but Blues would have extended the lead on 53 minutes but for Counago's unfortunate deflection, the Town striker diverting David Norris' shot onto the bar via his back when a goal seemed certain.

Coventry made a second change with Guillaume Beuzelin on for Isaac Osbourne just before the hour, Danny Haynes on for Giovani in Blues' first substitution. Sky Blues then replacing Best with Ashley Cain.

Haynes almost made it three on 75 minutes, a superb ball from Stead releasing the winger down the right but his lob went wide of Westwood and the far post.

Alan Quinn replaced Counago for the last 15 minutes, three minutes later Coventry were back in the game, Morrison forcing the ball in from close range following a corner.

Veliche Shumulikoski replaced Lisbie for the final five minutes of the season, Haynes almost extending the lead for Blues as he surged into the Coventry box, Grandison doing enough to make the clearance, Pim Balkestein then seeing a shot blocked by Stead.

Wright tipped over a header from Morrison as Coventry searched for an equaliser in the last exchanges but Town held firm despite Simpson hitting the bar with the last kick of the game to complete a hat-trick of wins for the first time this season and leave Keane unbeaten as Blues' boss.

Town: R.Wright, Peters, Bruce, Balkestein, Smith, Norris, Garvan, Lisbie (Shumuliksoki 85), Giovani (Haynes 63), Stead, Counago (Quinn 75). Subs not used: Bialkowski, Richards.

Coventry: Westwood, Osbourne (Beuzelin 58), Ward, McPake (Grandison 33), Turner, Simpson, Gunnarsson, Doyle, Best (Cain 65), Morrison, Eastwood. Subs not used: Ireland, Thornton. Booked: Morrison.

Att: 27,225