Coventry City collected their first and probably only trophy of the season last night when the reserves won the Pontins League First Division Championship.

They won by the narrowest of margins through beating Tranmere Rovers 2-1 at Highfield Road in the final fixture of the season.

The victory leapfrogged them above Middlesbrough and Oldham Athletic to take the title on goals difference. It was all so tight that a draw would have left them in third place.

Middlesbrough finished on 41 points and Coventry and Oldham ended on 42. Coventry’s goals difference was +15 while Oldham’s was +8.

Yet it was not a particularly auspicious end to the campaign for the Sky Blues.

They turned in a scrappy performance against what was virtually a youth team. John Aloisi fired them ahead in the 12^th minute but Tranmere drew level when Peter Rogers scored in the 37^th minute.

On loan Italian striker Stefano Gioacchini, who is wanted on a permanent basis by Coventry, scored what proved to be the winner in the 54^th minute when he wriggled past two defenders to shoot into the far corner.

But the Sky Blues did not push home their advantage and the points and the title nearly slipped away from them five minutes from the end.

The referee awarded a penalty when Philippe Clement tripped a Tranmere player but changed his decision to a free-kick on the advice of his assistant referee.