Colchester United 2 : 3 Coventry - Sky Blues get Mowbray off mark

Coventry boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation when by securing Tony Mowbray his first win as manager with a 3-2 victory at Chesterfield.

Marcus Tudgay's early goal for Coventry was cancelled out by Jay O'Shea, but Sanmi Odelusi and Frank Nouble struck in the second half and Gboly Ariyibi's reply was not enough to rescue Chesterfield.

Coventry scored with their first attack when Jordan Willis crossed to the back post and Tudgay rose to head past Chesterfield goalkeeper Tommy Lee from eight yards.

The Sky Blues defended well until three minutes before half-time when O'Shea's shot from 20 yards took a big deflection to beat Coventry goalkeeper Lee Burge at his near post.

But Coventry hit back and regained the lead in the 65th minute when Chesterfield failed to get the ball clear and Grant Ward's cross-shot was turned in by substitute Odelusi.

The visitors made it three in the 75th minute when Nouble robbed Ritchie Humphreys and ran clear to place the ball wide off the on-rushing Lee.

Chesterfield set up a tense finish when Ariyibi slotted home in the 86th minute from Gary Roberts' pass and Caolan Lavery nearly equalised with a stoppage-time header.