THE luckless Sky Blues slipped to a 2-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday in a game full of controversy.
City saw a 'goal' not given when the ball appeared to have crossed the line, and were given a penalty - only for the referee to reverse the decision.
And Aron Gunnarsson was stretchered off in the second half, with what looked to be a serious injury.
Chris Coleman made three changes to his side, with Isaac Osbourne, Ben Turner and Michael McIndoe coming in for Martin Cranie, Sammy Clingan and Freddy Eastwood.
The game had barely begun when Wednesday took the lead. The home side won a third minute corner, which Darren Potter swung into the middle of the penalty box. Darren Purse was first to the ball, and headed past Keiren Westwood.
City did have the ball in the net a minute later, when McIndoe turned in the area and sent a half-volley in off the post, but the assistant referee had flagged for an earlier offside.
Wednesday extended their lead in the 19th minute after Elliott Ward brought down James O'Connor in the box. Leon Clarke stepped up and sent Westwood the wrong way.
City's first real chance came in the 27th minute, when Gunnarsson laid the ball back to Patrick van Aanholt in the area, but the defender's shot from 15 yards went high over the bar.
Coleman decided to change the team's shape from 4-1-2-3 to 4-4-2, with Osbourne moving into right midfield, but it didn't spark an instant change of fortunes.
However, City's players were unfortunate not to get a goal back in half-time injury time when Leon Best's header seemed to clearly cross the line, but referee Colin Webster did not give the goal.
City improved after half-time but, just as they started to build pressure, Gunnarsson was seriously injured. Clarke went in late on the midfielder, and after several minutes of treatment, he was carried off to be replaced by Eastwood.
And the luck didn't improve for City. In the 64th minute, Best went down after Mark Beevers' challenge. Referee Webster blew for a penalty, but was called across by linesman Alan Parker who said it was not a foul. The referee took the opinion of his assistant and reversed his decision.
City still battled to try and get into the game, and Jack Cork nearly opened his account in the 80th minute when he ran onto a loose ball in the area - but his left-footed shot was saved by Grant.
The Sky Blues had late efforts through Osbourne and Clinton Morrison, but the Owls held strong to see out their victory.
Coventry City (4-3-3): Westwood; Wright, Turner, Ward, van Aanholt; Osbourne, Gunnarsson (Eastwood 58), Cork; Morrison, Best, McIndoe (Cain 70). Subs: Konstantopolous, Walker, Grandison, Clarke, Cranie.
Sheffield Wednesday (4-4-2): Grant; Buxton, Purse, Beevers, Spurr; Gray (McAllister 77), O'Connor, Potter, Johnson (Miller 90); Varney, Clarke (Sodje 74). Subs: O'Donnell, Hinds, McAllister, Jeffers, Simek
