A PERSISTENT Coventry City toiled to a hard-fought win over ten-man Chelsea to continue their undefeated start to the season at the Alan Higgs Centre on Saturday.

A first-half Joel Grandison strike was soon cancelled out with a rasping 25-yard drive by Chelsea's Marko Mitrovic, before Rob Ogleby netted the winner for Gregor Rioch's men with a well taken 78th minute half-volley.

The Sky Blues dominated the first 30 minutes and restricted Chelsea to minimal chances. The Londoners struggled to find their rhythm and were often guilty of giving away possession due to the determined pressing by City's attackers.

Callum Wilson and Rob Ogleby were a constant menace to Chelsea's backline, and Wilson will question himself how he didn't leave with a goal after some terrific movement thoughout.

City's best opportunity arose when Wilson harassed defender Kenny Stickland into a mistake on 15 minutes, and following some quick link-up play, Conor Thomas fed Ogleby into the channel, his deft turn and cross found his strike partner in space, but Wilson could only glance his header over the bar.

After relentless pressure, the ball was finally in the Chelsea net on 24 minutes, when Ogleby latched on to a lofted through ball and finished calmly before the effort was ruled out for offside.

The Sky Blues persistence finally paid off on 31 minutes, when Wilson's neat back heal found Connor Gudger on the overlap. The full-back's rifled cross went through a crowd of players, finding the unmarked Grandison, who's pace bad been a constant menace to Chelsea's defence. He chested the ball down and drilled a half-volley inside goalkeeper Sam Walker's near post to claim his third strike in four games.

The goal seemed to be the wake-up call Chelsea needed, and six minutes later the Blues were level, when a long ball down field bounced over Mitrovic's shoulder, and he created enough room to hit a fierce long-range volley over the head of goalkeeper Michael Quirke.

Chelsea soon settled down and grew in confidence. And the away side could have taken the lead if it weren't for a vital last-ditch tackle by Conor Thomas on Blues captain Kaby Djalo, and some good fortune as Mitrovic chipped against the post after Quirke has committed himself whilst blocking from Billy Knott.

But with the game poised to go into the break at 1-1, Chelsea's cause wasn't helped when midfielder Djalo was sent off moments before half-time, picking up a second caution after a potentially dangerous challenge on Thomas.

Chelsea switched to one up front in the second half, which allowed the home side time and space to build from the back, and City used their player advantage to create a host of chances early on.

Grandison cut inside from the byline on 47, and fired straight at the 'keeper, Gudger continued to threaten from the left, providing for Wilson who sidefooted wide from six yards on 51 minutes, and City were guilty of trying to walk the ball in on the hour, after three players passed on a shot, Thomas' scuffed effort was cleared off the line.

Chelsea continued to cling on when the dynamic Grandison fired across the face of goal on 63 minutes, and after numerous deflections, including the goalpost, the ball somehow avoided the net.

But after all of City's industry, it was a direct approach which provided the winning goal. Directly after a double substitution by Rioch, an incisive long ball from defender Cyrus Christie was flicked on into the path of the lively Ogleby, who took the ball on his chest and after one bounce, hit a composed volley which nestled into the bottom corner of the net, prompting an 11-man pile-up as Ogleby reeled away to celebrate.

Chelsea again offered an immediate response when midfielder Connor Clifford pulled a shot wide, City's Connor Grogan threw himself infront of a goal bound effort, and Clifford attempted an audacious attempt from the half-way line, which was somehow clawed off the goal-line by the backtracking Quirke.

On the counter-attack, Ogleby's header was palmed on to the goalpost, and shortly afterwards the final whistle blew on an action packed match, and the somewhat relieved Sky Blues players celebrated their third consecutive league victory.

Team

Coventry City: Quirke, Wynter, Gudger, Cameron, Greenway (Christie 75), Grandison, Grogan, Thomas (Blackwell 75), Leluu, Wilson, Ogleby ( Bottomer 90)