Gordon Strachan got the performance but not result he wanted as Coventry lost the battle of the relegated sides.

Strachan had demanded more from his side after their poor performance against Wolves and he got it. What he also got was fatally poor defending and Lee Hughes being sent off 12 minutes from time.

The manager had resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes after Sunday’s reverse, merely bringing in Barry Quinn for Youssef Chippo. He instead demanded more from the other 10 and was, to a large extent, rewarded.

Coventry matched Bradford every step of the way in the first half but were forced to produce two goal line clearances. David Thompson fired just wide in the third minute and Lee Hughes gave Bradford defender Robert Molennar a rough wide throughout.

Jay Bothroyd, who had by far his best game since joining the club, set up Thompson in the 20th minute with a driven cross but the winger’s effort was blocked.

Hedman made up for an earlier rush of blood which saw him come tearing dangerously off his line, when he saved well from Ashley Ward. The ball fell invitingly for former Sky Blues’ midfielder Eoin Jess whose effort was cleared by Lee Carlsey on the goal line.

Bradford, with over half their side in their 30s, began the second half in superb style, doing the damage in six second half minutes. They started the half far stronger than Coventry and took the lead in the 49th minute when Andy Myers headed home from close range after Ward flicked on a Benito Carbone corner.

Hedman then kept out a low shot from Gareth Whalley but stood no chance in the 55th minute when Gary Locke rammed home the lose ball from 18 yards out.

It took Coventry time to regain their composure and slowly they started to force the home side back, especially after Strachan had brought on Ysrael Zuniga and Youssef Chippo for Thompson and Quinn.

That pressure yielded a result in the 76th minute when Jay Bothroyd, their best player of the night, ended a forceful 40 yard run with an unstoppable low shot. It was a goal that underlined the teenager’s undoubted qualities.

Suddenly Coventry were the side with the momentum and Bradford’s confidence appeared brittle. But then, just two minutes after the goal Hughes, who had been harshly booked in the first half for not retreating, snapped at the heels of Gunnar Halle and was red carded.

To their credit, Coventry still poured forward looking for that breakthrough. It should have come right at the death when Bothroyd headed a Marcus Hall cross over the bar.

There is no doubt that Coventry played with far more poise and purpose than they did against Wolves, but that was to be expected. Two back to back defeats will do little to help the players believe they can bounce back to the Premiership and they need to win on Monday against Nottingham Forest to prevent the rumblings of dissatisfaction growing louder.

BRADFORD CITY (4-4-2):
Walsh; Halle, Molenaar, Myers, Jacobs; Locke, McCall, Whalley; Carbone, Ward, Jess (Tod, 90)
Subs not used: Lawrence, Blake, Davison, Grant

COVENTRY CITY (4-4-2)
Hedman; Nilsson, Shaw, Williams, Hall, Thompson (Zuniga, 68) Quinn (Chippo, 68), Carsley, O’Neill; Hughes, Bothroyd
Subs not used: Goram, Gavin Strachan, Davenport

GOALS:
Bradford - Myers (49, close range header), Locke (55, low drive)
Coventry - Bothroyd (78, fine goal)

REFEREE: Chris Foy (St Helens)

BOOKINGS:
Bradford - Jess (56, foul), McCall (70, foul)
Coventry - Hughes (44, dissent), Thompson (48, foul)

SENDING OFF: Hughes (78, foul – second bookable offence)

ATTENDANCE: 15,085

COVENTRY MAN OF THE MATCH: Jay Bothroyd – best game to date