A stunning strike from veteran striker Fabrizio Ravanelli finally secured Division One safety for Derby County and condemned Coventry to further misery.
The Italian had struggled for form and fitness following his five-month injury lay-off and for an hour looked a pale shadow of the player who turned out for Juventus and Marseille.
But picking up a loose ball near the corner of the penalty area the 34-year-old turned inside onto his favoured left foot and produced the sort of finish that would have lit up any ground in world football let alone settle a drab Midlands encounter.
It was also the first time either side had managed to get a shot on target and it said everything about the game that only one more was to follow.
Indeed that chance should have brought Coventry and equaliser when Jay Bothroyd sent Christian Yulu clear on goal, but the substitute shot straight at Lee Grant.
The first half had been particularly poor with Coventry's player boss Gary McAllister and Derby's Rob Lee both shooting into row Z from long range.
Half-time failed to enliven proceedings as both teams cautiously kept the ball seemingly afraid to commit an error which might pile on the pressure that sitting so uncomfortably close to the relegation zone brings.
Once Ravanelli had struck the Sky Blue's emerged from their shell and McAllister wasted a fine chance when his left-footed drive cleared the bar after he had been found by skipper Mo Konjic.
And seconds later McAllister turned Ram's defender Pablo Mills to run clear on goal but he delayed his shot and Mills saved his team with a last ditch tackle.
Derby should have added to their goal minutes from time when the now confident Ravanelli set up substitute Adam Bolder, but the midfielder could only shoot into the stands.