As the teams trudged off, Coventry City joyous after Clinton Morrison’s 90th-minute equaliser, Derby County bereft after conceding it, visiting manager Paul Jewell confronted referee Iain Williamson, claiming that the throw-in awarded to the hosts during the build-up should have gone the other way.

In truth, his team had only themselves to blame. A goal ahead and hanging on with reasonable assurance until Coventry introduced Robbie Simpson with nine minutes remaining, they switched off and nature took its course.

With half-time beckoning a drifting contest sprung to life. Jordan Stewart found Kris Commons, whose cross was headed home by Rob Hulse. Almost instantly Coventry should have levelled when Icelander Aron Gunnarsson waltzed into the penalty area to collect Michael Doyle’s through ball. As Stewart and Lewin Nyatanga paused, he nipped in and belted the ball past Stephen Bywater but the ballcrashed off the inside post and to safety.

After the break, half-chances fell to Leon Best and Mifsud. Coventry started to exude menace once the hapless Best was replaced by Simpson, who terrorised Derby. But when Bywater tipped over Simpson’s vicious last-second free kick, all hope seemed lost. Then Mifsud crossed low and Morrison poked home.

Star man:Miles Addison (Derby)

Yellow cards: Coventry: Gunnarsson, Dann Derby: Addison, Commons

Referee: I Williamson

Attendance:18,430

COVENTRY:Westwood 6, Osbourne 5, Ward 6, Dann 6, Fox 6, Gunnarsson 7, Beuzelin 4 (Hall 88min), Doyle 6 (Morrison 69min), Mifsud 7, Best 4 (Simpson 80min), Eastwood 7

DERBY:Bywater 7, Connolly 6, Nyatanga 6, Leacock 6 (Davis 80min), Stewart 7, Sterjovski 6 (Teale 61min), Kazmierczak 7, Addison 7, Commons 7, Ellington 6 (Villa 75min), Hulse 6