Forget Manchester United's goalscoring debutant, Federico Macheda because Crystal Palace's Kieron Cadogan is the new name to remember. On as a second half substitute, he capitalised on a defensive horror show by Ben Turner to nip in, round the keeper and score his first goal on his home debut.
Up until then it had been Coventry who had looked the more threatning outfit, using the space well and controlling the tempo, with young Iceland international Aron Gunnarsson pulling the strings and causing the Palace defence all sorts of problems.
Indeed, the first half belonged to the away side. Palace appeared tired, with their passing lacklustre and their movement a yard or two off of the pace.
Nevertheless it was Palace who opened the chances in the first half and with only a minute on the clock. Victor Moses received the ball out in a wide left position, cut in on his right foot and delivered a telling cross to the back post for Shefki Kuqi. The Finland international jumped with his marker, who did just enough to put off the Palace frontman and his header looped over for a corner
From the resulting corner Coventry went straight back up the other end thanks to a headed clearance that found Freddy Eastwood on the left flank. The former Southend United favourite had the time to look up and place a superb long ball onto the toe of Gunnarsson, who then drove to the edge of the box and forced Speroni into a decent save.
Two minutes later and Matt Lawrence gave away a needless free kick 20 yards from goal. Left back Daniel Fox stepped up and whipped a left footed effort just over Speroni's right hand stantion.
Former Palace striker Clinton Morrison then came close when he lost his marker in the box to connect with a free kick over the top. As the ball dropped he stuck out a hopeful leg to loop the ball over Speroni but Davis was there to clear.
At this stage Coventry were enjoying the lion share of possession and, on 26 minutes the ball was played to Eastwood out wide. He cut in on to his left foot and fired a low drive that Speroni saved well down to his right.
And then the inevitable as the away side took the lead. A ball in from the right by Isaac Osbourne found an unmarked Gunnarsson in the box and his header eluded the outstretched hand of Speroni on its way into the far post.
Palace appeared to be galvanised by the goal and set out almost immediately to find a reply, but the threat was always going to come from a corner.
From their sixth of the evening the ball was swung into the danger area and it caused all sorts of problems to the City defence. The ball was eventually bundled goalward but Morrison was there to clear off the line.
Palace's best chance of the half fell to Anthony Stokes. On 41 minutes he picked the ball up 25 yards out and unleashed a fierce dipping drive that seemed destined for the top corner, unti Kieren Westwood pulled off an even better one hand save to deny him.
Coventry continued where they left off at the beginning of the second half by controlling the tempo of the match with an unnerving ease.
They created their first effort of the half on 49 minutes, with Gunnarsson again the danger man. His ball into the box found Morrison and the former Palace striker managed to angle his body behind the ball to scoop out a header that looped over the bar.
The home side replied with two half chances minutes later. First was Derry, who capitalised on a poor clearance to aim a volley at goal. But the effort required precision technique to control it sufficiently enought to trouble Westwood and he just failed to get over the ball enough and it floated harmlessly over the bar.
Next was Shefki, who shinned an effort from 20 yards just wide of the goal. The ball seemed to get stuck in the turf as it popped up and the big Finland international had to improvise with his shinned effort.
But Coventry were always a dangerous prospect when Gunnarsson was involved and he should have extended his side's lead shortly after the hour mark. A long ball over the top was angled deep into the Palace box and the youngster managed to pull it down brilliantly to set himself up nicely, but as he went to pull the trigger he became unbalanced and shot well over the bar.
He then had an even better chance seven minutes later when Robbie Simpson managed to dig out a cross from the byline to the back post where he was all alone. He took a touch to control it before completely missing the ball with a dreadful airshot, which allowed Speroni enough time to close him down and block his second effort.
Then the moment arrived for young Kieron Cadogan. On as a substitute for Paul Ifill, he gambled on a poor ball by Victor Moses that Coventry defender Ben Turner inexplicably allowed to roll through his legs. He pounced on the loose ball, rounded the keeper and side footed it into an empty net.
It was a moment of pure elation for the youngster who was duly pounced on by all of his teammates as he celebrated infront of the Croydon Advertiser Family Stand.
Freddy Eastwood threatened to ruin the celebrations almost immediately when he found himself in a terrific position six yards from goal. A free kick into the box was headed back across the six yard box and all Eastwood had to do was tap it in; instead he completely mis-timed his shot and missed the ball completely.
In the final stages of the match Palace were in full control, searching desperately to find a way through and get the equaliser , and on 80 minutes, Shaun Derry came agonisingly close to getting it in some style.
Cadogan was again involved as his dangerous cross into the box could only be cleared out as far as Derry. The Palace skipper took a touch to set himself up on his right foot and fired a superb half volley that inched over the bar.
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At a glance: Lee Hills is brought in to left back in place of Clint Hill, while Jose Fonte returns and Nathaniel Clyne drops to the bench. Youngsters James Comley and Kieron Cadogan are named among the substitutes
Crystal Palace - 1. Julian Speroni, 2. Matt Lawrence, 4. Shaun Derry, 6. Jose Fonte, 11. Victor Moses, 15. Lee Hills, 16. Neil Danns, 23. Paul Ifill (44. Kieron Cadogan. , 60), 25. Claude Davis, 32. Shefki Kuqi, 33. Anthony Stokes (28. Rui Fonte, 66)
Subs: 10. Nick Carle, 42. James Comley, 43, Nathaniel Clyne
Coventry - 1. Kieren Westwood, 4. Daniel Fox, 6. Scott Dann (c), 7. Guillaume Beuzelin, 8. Michael Doyle, 10. Freddy Eastwood, 12. Aron Gunnarsson, 16. Isaac Osbourne, 19. Clinton Morrison, 20. Ben Turner, 24. Robbie Simpson
Subs: 3. Marcus Hall, 5. Elliott Ward, 9. Leon Best, 29. Kevin Thornton, 33. Andy Marshall
