Coventry send message out for next season's play-offs

Coventry City look like ending the season in the form that will make them among the favourites to finish in a play-off position this time next year.

Micky Adams's team defeated Stoke City 1-0 at the Britannia Stadium last Saturday, making it two successive away victories, and Coventry can provide a statement of intent when they end their campaign at home to Cardiff City on Sunday.

Coventry have finally learnt how to play away from home, after a season in which they have shown schizophrenic tendencies. They have been fine at the Ricoh Arena - it is on their travels that they tend to struggle.

But not now. Not after their match against Stoke. Adams said: "It was not a classic game by any means but it means we've won our last two away games and drawn at Wolves so we've found the formula but it's a bit too late.

"We were defensively sound and all the young lads we played did well. Kev Thornton showed glimpses of what he is capable of and Stuart Giddings got through a full 90 minutes, too, after being out for over a year so we're pleased for him as well.

"The two central defenders did well and it is nice to see Matty Heath hit some form. Our football was a little too predictable in the first half. They do work nicely together and we'll take the win."

In the match against Stoke Stuart Giddings, the defender, made his first start of an injury-ravaged campaign and Ben Turner had his first taste of first-team football. The latter was celebrating signing his first professional deal with the club.

Adams said: "He's still some way off where he was before he got injured but he looked to me to get stronger as the game progressed and that 90 minutes will have done him the world of good. I was really pleased for him and was delighted to see him back out in a Coventry shirt.

"Ben's one of the most enthusiastic kids I've ever worked with. Everybody knows he's a centre-half but the one thing he'll give you is enthusiasm and we said 'for the last five minutes run around like a lunatic and unsettle their defenders' and he did that so he'll remember his debut."