Goals from Ellis Simms and Haji Wright fired the Sky Blues to three points against Leeds United.
Simms got the goalscoring under way inside the opening ten minutes and then after the restart, Wright scored after getting on the end of a stunning ball from Josh Eccles.
Joel Piroe pulled one back late on for the visitors, but it wasn’t enough as City closed the gap on the top six once again.
The first attempt on goal of the game fell to Haji Wright after he was released by Ellis Simms down the left and from a tight angle, he forced Meslier into a fine stop at his near post, pushing the ball behind the corner.
From the resulting set-piece, Josh Eccles picked out Bobby Thomas at the back post and he put the ball back across goal for Liam Kitching and the defender headed the ball into the path of Simms and he diverted the ball into the back of the net.
It could have been 2-0 a few minutes later, but it was Meslier who came out on top this time, keeping out Callum O’Hare’s effort from inside of the area.
Next to try his luck was Kasey Palmer, when he let rip from 30-yards-out, only to be denied by the United shot-stopper.
The visitors had a chance to pull level, but Patrick Bamford couldn’t take it as he wasn’t able to get the connection, he would have wanted on Crysencio Summerville’s ball across the box.
HALF-TIME: Sky Blues 1-0 Leeds United
It was the perfect start to the second half as the Sky Blues doubled their lead five minutes into when an outstanding ball into the box from Eccles was met by Wright in the middle and he found the bottom corner.
Brad Collins was called into action for the first time on the hour mark, as he had to get down quick to keep out Summerville’s deflected strike from sneaking in at the near post.
It was the turn of Jake Bidwell to keep the ball from creeping in, as he produced a magnificent diving header to stop Summerville finding the back of the net.
Leeds pulled one back 15 minutes from time when a ball wasn’t cleared, and substitute Joel Piroe was able to beat Collins and make it 2-1.
FULL-TIME: Sky Blues 2-1 Leeds United
Goals: Ellis Simms 9’, Haji Wright 49’, Joel Piroe 76’
Yellows: Jake Bidwell, Ben Sheaf, Ethan Ampadu, Ellis Simms
Attendance: 30,232 (2,535)
Sky Blues Xl: Brad Collins (GK), Milan van Ewijk, Bobby Thomas, Liam Kitching, Jake Bidwell, Ben Sheaf (C), Josh Eccles, Callum O'Hare (77’ Torp), Kasey Palmer (66’ Latibeaudiere), Haji Wright (88’ Dasilva), Ellis Simms.
Subs: Ben Wilson (GK), Dermi Lusala, Jay Dasilva, Luis Binks, Joel Latibeaudiere, Liam Kelly, Kai Andrews, Victor Torp, Fabio Tavares.
Starting XI: Illan Meslier (GK), Junior Firpo, Ethan Ampadu(C), Glen Kamara, Patrick Bamford (66’ Piroe), Crysencio Summerville, Joe Rodon, Dan James (84’ Gnonto), Archie Gray, Georginio Rutter, Ilia Gruev (66’ Joseph).
Subs: Karl Darlow (GK), Charlie Cresswell, Liam Cooper, Joel Piroe, Jaidon Anthony, Sam Byram, Wilfried Gnonto, Connor Roberts, Mateo Joseph.
