BEN Turner earned the Sky Blues three points against Derby with his first ever professional goal.

The centre-half nodded home a header from Lee Carsley's cross with 13 minutes of the game to go to hand City their first win over Derby County for seven meetings.

Lukas Jutkiewicz opened the scoring for City on 32 minutes with a spot kick earned by Gary McSheffrey and Turner sealed the points after Dean Moxey netted a 51st minute leveller for the visitors.

Freddy Eastwood went close for the Sky Blues after just four minutes, McSheffrey recovering from a slip to pick himself up and whip in a cross from the right, Eastwood glancing his header just over the bar.

With plenty of midfield exchanges thereafter, shots at goal were few and far between until McSheffrey bent and effort just around Stephen Bywater's far post from distance after 20 minutes.

Derby had their first real chance two minutes later, going on the counter attack down the left flank, Paul Green getting to the byline to chip a ball into the six-yard area only for Martin Cranie to hook it away in front of goal.

Green very nearly opened the scoring for the Rams on 26 minutes though, Keiren Westwood coming off his line to kick clear but only as far as the midfielder who lofted a half volley over Westwoood's head only to watch the ball headed almost off the line by the srambling Turner.

The Sky Blues were denied in similar fashion on the half hour mark when a corner delivery found Carsely who drove an effort at the goal which was stabbed off the line by Gareth Roberts.

City were ahead two minutes later though when Jutkiewicz converted from the spot after McSheffrey was brought down in the area by Leacock who was left stading as the wideman cut in from the right.

Jutkiewicz then stepped up and drove the penalty home to Bywater's left, the 'keeper getting a hand to it but with no chance of stopping it.

It was the striker's last contribution for the Sky Blues though, taking a knock just moments after the goal and eventually being replaced by Clive Platt eight minutes before the break.

The Sky Blues were just inches away from taking a two-goal cushion into the break with a minute of the first half remaining.

A long ball over the top found Eastwood on the right flank who tapped a ball across the six-yard area from the byline which passed through Platt's legs for the unmarked McSheffrey whose close range tap went agonisingly wide.

The visitors were level six minutes after the restart though when John Brayford recieved a ball on the right flank and fired in a low cross for Dean Moxey to hammer into the corner from close range.

Brayford linked up with Moxey again five minutes after the hour, floating a shallow cross into the box for Moxey to hit first time, this time Moxey stabbing his effort wide.

Eastwood very nearly handed the Sky Blues the lead back though with 15 minutes to go, Bell floating a deep cross to the striker at the back post but his bullet header going just wide of the post.

Platt went even closer on 76 minutes, meeting Richard Keogh's first time cross and glancing a header at goal which had Bywater at full stretch to push the ball off the line.

But City were ahead again just moments later when Turner crept in at the back post to nod home from Lee Carsley's cross to reinstate the Sky Blues' lead.

Westwood was at his best at the other end on County's very next attack, Green breaking down the right and whipping in a cross for Moxey who prodded the ball at the goal from close range only for the Coventry shotstopper to fling himself across his goalmouth and push the ball away.

That was Derby's last chance of note though as the Sky Blues comfortably saw out four minutes of added time to remain unbeaten so far this season and bag a second consecutive win at the Ricoh.

Attendance: 13,169 (773 away)

Teams

Coventry City: Westwood, Keogh, Cranie, Cameron, Turner, Carsley (c), Doyle, McSheffrey, Bell (Clarke 76), Eastwood (Gunnarsson 81), Jutkiewicz (Platt 37)
Subs: Quirke (GK), Clingan, Baker, Wood

Derby County: Bywater, Brayford, Roberts, Green, Barker, Leacock, Savage (c) (Porter 86), Commons, Bailey, Moxey, Doyle (Cywka 71)
Subs: Deeney (GK), Martin, Buxton, Pringle