The duck wriggled uncomfortably for a long time; it squawked a lot too; but even after 90 minutes of fierce competitiveness it refused to break and Aston Villa are still waiting for their first away win of the season.

A 34th minute Mick Coop penalty and headed goal by Chris Nicholl after 70 minutes were the end products of a match played at a breathtaking pace that saw Villa miss a penalty, four men booked and a couple of others fortunate to hear the final whistle.

Tommy Hutchison must take all the credit for the Sky Blues taking a lead that was as unexpected as, at the time, it was undeserved.

For the first time in the game Hutchison set off on one of those jinking runs that have thrilled Highfield Road crowds for years. He weaved his way past John Gidman, Ray Graydon and Dennis Mortimer before moving into the Villa penalty area where Leighton Phillips bundled him to the ground.

Coop sent the spot kick to his left and Burridge to his right.

It was a cruel piece of luck for Villa for during the opening 30 minutes they had done everything but score.

They controlled the pace of the game and, perhaps more important, its direction and that was virtually always towards the Coventry goal.

Bobby McDonald always eager and more often than not in the right place at the right time shot the ball straight into Jim Blyth’s arms in the first minute and that was the pattern Villa’s finishing was to adopt.

The Sky Blues were making little impact on the game largely because Villa’s attempts to blot out Hutchison although often suspicious, were proving highly effective. And it was Hutchison who fell foul of referee Roy Capey first, when he was penalised for tapping Graydon’s ankles in the 20th minute. But the goal was what Coventry needed and with a cushion to fall back on they relaxed and began to believe in themselves.

Their new-found confidence brought out the steel in Villa and Gidman was booked in the 35th minute for throwing himself at Hutchison on the half-way line.

Two minutes later Graydon followed him after seemingly trying to pick Coop’s nose with his elbow.

But Coventry’s grip did not last and in a burst of furious activity early in the second half Villa once more arrested the initiative.

After an initial battering, during which Nicholl was booked for a late tackle on Hutchison, Villa began to spray the ball about with considerable aplomb only to see their finishing once again let them down.

John Craven became the fourth booking of the night when he hacked away Carrodus’s legs in the 57th minute and then, nine minutes later, Chris Cattlin brought down Graydon and the Villa fans’ screams for a penalty were answered.

Graydon wasted no time in placing the ball, moving swiftly back to his mark and putting the ball five yards wide.

And so it was left to Nicholl to snatch a point Villa thoroughly deserved. He moved up for a Steve Hunt corner and was given all the room In the world to nod it past a stranded Blyth.