COVENTRY City came just inches away from salvaging a point at the Hawthorns as West Bromwich Albion snatch a narrow fifth straight league victory.

Steven Reid scored the only goal of the game for the hosts after firing home a half volley at the back post from Robert Koren's corner after 22 minutes.

But it was a case of almost for the Sky Blues who repeatedly came within a whisker of grabbing an equaliser after a spirited and full bloodied second half performance against the league high fliers.

Graham Dorrens tested Keiren Westwood's alertness in the second minute with a curled effort from the corner of the area but the Sky Blues'keeper was able to collect comfortably.

Koren went closer three minutes later though when he dispossessed Stephen Wright on the touchline and whipped in a quick cross which actually skimmed the top of Westwood's crossbar.

Sammy Clingan registered the Sky Blues' first effort of the evening after ten minutes, curling a free kick around Scott Carson's far post after Jonathan Stead was given a free kick for a foul by Abdoulaye Meite 20 yards out.

Clingan's next dead ball delivery three minutes later presented Gary Deegan with a half chance when the ball fell to the Irishman who sliced a half volley well wide from just inside the Albion area.

Stead forced Carson into a solid low save on 19 minutes when he cut inside Steven Reid before firong a shot from the edge of the area.

Albion threatened at the other end on the very next attack though, Ishmael Miller almost skipping past Richard Wood and earning a free kick although the following low delivery was easily cleared by Martin Cranie.

The hosts then went ahead on 22 minutes when Koren's corner delivery found Reid at the back post to power a shot past Westwood.

David Bell produced an effort from range for the Sky Blues nine minutes from half time, pulling his shot wide of Carson's far post.

Baker's effort four minutes later was a bit more ambitious, his shot from 50 yards floating wide after Carson was forced to head clear away from his area as Stead attacked a long ball, leaving his goal mouth exposed.

But it was the hosts who came closest to scoring a second four minutes before the break after Joe Mattock won a free kick which was whipped in and guided towards the goalmouth by the touch of Ben Watson, Westwood on hand to stop the ball on the line.

Albion were also the first to threaten after the restart when Koren's shot from 20 yards was deflected narrowly away from Westwood's goal.

Baker had the Sky Blues' travelling support on their feet on 56 minutes though with a dribble that took him past two Baggies defenders and into the penalty area, only to be stopped by three simultaneous tackles.

Clingan was only a foot wide two minutes later after Stead had won a free kick on the corner of the Baggies area, Clingan sending his effort just into Carson's side netting.

The Sky Blues got ever closer on the hour though when another dangerous free kick delivery from Clingan whipped across the six yard area evaded Stead's outstretched boot by just inches when a touch would have undoubtedly brought an equaliser.

City went close again with 20 minutes to go when Baker did well to turn substitute Giles Barnes inside out and float a cross into the box which was tapped back across the six-yard box by Stead but only met Albion feet which scrambled the ball off the goal line.

A well worked set piece from the Sky Blues saw them go close again on 75 minutes when Clingan's free kick down the flank to Eastwood allowed him to cut inside and pull a ball back for replacement Freddie Sears who had time for a first touch but not a second six yards out which would have seen him stab home.

Another dangerous delivery in injury time saw City defender Richard Wood launch himself at the ball at the far post, again only missing a connection by the narrowest of margins.

And the Sky Blues had time for one last flurry deep into added time when Wood's throw in was flicked on by James McPake into the path of sub Clinton Morrison but City just could not find the final touch that would have put the ball in the net with what turned out to be the last kick of the game.

 Attendance: 22,140 

Teams

Coventry City: Westwood, McPake, Wood, Wright (c) (Hussey 79), Cranie, Clingan, Deegan, Bell (Sears 65), Baker, Stead (Morrison 75), Eastwood
Subs: Konstantopoulos (GK), Hall, Gunnarsson, Barnett

West Brom: Carson, Mattock, Koren (Thomas 84), Miller (Moore 69), Brunt (Barnes 60), Dorrans, Mulumbu, Meite, Watson, Tamas, Reid
Subs: Keily (GK), Zuiverloon, Morrison, Cox