MISFORTUNE COMBINED with misdemeanour to condemn Coventry City to their first defeat in four matches. The visiting team hit the woodwork four times and missed a penalty, but still could have won had woeful defending not fatally undermined them in front of the biggest crowd of the season at Elland Road.

Micky Adams, the Coventry manager, rued the intervention of the goal frame at the ground where he was once a hero. “We created the chances and have been very unfortunate,” he said. “We dominated possession and certainly frustrated Leeds, but, if you hit the post and the crossbar as many times as us, there is a feeling it is not going to be your day.”

Even Sam Ellis, the Leeds assistant manager, was forced to concede some measure of support for Coventry. “They certainly top the table for hitting the post and bar,” he said. “It is usually us complaining about that bad luck in front of goal, so we know exactly how they must feel.”

Jonathan Douglas, the midfield player, put Leeds in front against the run of play in the 34th minute and Coventry deserved the stunning equaliser provided by Don Hutchison, the midfield player on loan from Millwall, in the 57th minute. Hutchison instigated a neat interchange on the left flank with Richard Duffy before hitting a half- volley beyond Neil Sullivan.

But Coventry’s glaring inability to defend with any conviction was cruelly exposed just 90 seconds later when Robbie Blake, the forward, restored Leeds’ advantage with his fifth goal of the season.

Richard Cresswell added a third ten minutes from time with his first goal of the season, before Gary McSheffrey hit the bar with a late penalty for Coventry.