COVENTRY City shot into the top ten of the Championship table after a second consecutive league victory over struggling Queens Park Rangers at the Ricoh Arena.

Gary Deegan netted his first ever goal in City colours after ten minutes to give Chris Coleman's men a fifth win in sixth games at home as well as subject Mick Harford's Rangers to a fifth consecutive defeat

Freddy Eastwood gave the crowd some early excitement by chasing down a ball from the kick off heading for QPR 'keeper Carl Ikeme, only for Ikeme to control the ball, knock it past Eastwood and clear his lines. 

The visitors had a chance of their own on four minutes when a third consecutive corner swung in by Akos Buzsaky was batted away by Keiren Westwood as far as Connolly at the back post who could only bundle the ball wide.

The Sky Blues were ahead after ten minutes though when Deegan slotted home his first goal in Sky Blues colours.

A loose ball rolled along the edge of the box which Deegan hit first time, Ikeme not even diving as the ball found the bottom corner of his net.

Buzsaky responded with a curled effort at goal on QPR's next attack but it did not trouble Westwood.

He went closer on 15 minutes after goalscorer Deegan was adjudged to have brought down Alejandro Faurlin just 20 yards out, Buzsaky curling the dead ball marginally wide of Westwood's post.

Carl Baker, out on the right wing did well on the half hour mark to skip past Matt Hill and Kaspars Gorkss, then winning a free kick after being brought down by Hill but Clingan's whipped in free kick only find Ikeme.

Clingan got a second pop at a dead ball after Stephen Wright was brought down on the right side of the area, his delivery this time flicked away from danger.

Clinton Morrison did well two minutes after the restart, chasing a ball down the right flank and floating in a dangerous cross which forced Ikeme off his line to collect with Eastwood waiting in the wings.

Lee Cook was given an attempt at goal three minutes before the hour after being brought down by Deegan but his effort from 20 yards went straight at Westwood.

New Sky Blues loan signing Freddie Sears took his bow infront of the Sky Blue Army when replacing Clinton Morrison on 66 minutes, making an immediate impact by winning a corner for City and then a free kick a minute later which earned Faurlin a yellow card.

Westwood was forced into making a magnificent stop on 70 minutes when Cook's curled in free kick was headed back across the goalmouth towards the bottom corner only for the Republic of Ireland international to make a superb one-handed save and deny a certain equaliser.

The Sky Blues carved out a good opportunity seven minutes later when Eastwood, Sears and McIndoe linked up with Eastwood getting to the by-line and cutting back only for the ball to be cleared for a throw in.

Skipper Stephen Wright enjoyed a rare opportunity on goal a minute later, taking a bouncing ball and firing a half volley which Ikeme had to scramble back to stop.

Cook set up what looked to be another dangerous set piece for the visitors with three minutes to go only to curl his effort around the post.

The Sky Blues were then faced with the task of seeing out four minutes of added time and QPR almost grabbed an equaliser in the second of those four, substitute Antonio German firing acros the face of goal.

Eastwood nearly doubled the Sky Blues' on the next counter attack, Sears set on the breakaway and spotting his strike partner unmarked, Eastwood though only able to hit the side netting.

It did not matter though as referee David Foster blew for full time soon after to hand Coventry a second consecutive three-point haul.

Attendance: 15,247 (586 away)

Teams

Coventry City: Westwood, Wright (c), Barnett, Wood, Cranie, Clingan, Deegan, Baker, McIndoe, Morrison (Sears 66), Eastwood
Subs: Konstantopoulos (GK), Hussey, Walker, Grandison, Jeffers

QPR: Ikeme, Ramage, Stewart, Buzsaky (Taarabt 66), Gorkss, Connelly, Cook (c), Faurlin, Hill, Simpson, Priskin (German 54)
Subs: Cerny (GK), Vine, Quashie, Balanta, Borrowdale