THE FIRST JOEL

JOEL LATIBEAUDIERE paid tribute to Coventry's lesser-spotted centre-backs as the Sky Blues hung on for a vital point.

- BY JASON MELLOR

Frank Lampard’s side stretched their lead to six points as a gritty backs-to-the-wall display sealed the Championship’s No.1 spot for Christmas.

The visitors were reduced to 10 men for most of the second half after Jay Dasilva saw red for giving Welington the boot.

Despite Nathan Wood heading his first Saints goal to level, Tonda Eckert’s men couldn’t find a way through City’s makeshift defence to force a winner.

Luke Woolfenden stood out in only his second start since the end of October as centre-back partner Latibeaudiere put in a Herculean shift alongside him. The former Manchester City academy product was starting a domestic game for the first time since April after flu swept through the camp to throw Lampard’s selection plans into disarray.