IN A game that took one's breath away, not for its beauty but for its breakneck pace, Arsenal and Coventry made sure their season will go down to the last gasp.

While a win would have been healthier for both sides, the Londoners remain on course in the battle for second spot in the Premiership, while Gordon Strachan's sky-blue fighters further fuelled their drive away from the drop zone.

Two wins and a draw in their previous three league games had lifted Coventry out of the bottom three, and they could hardly have got off to a better start last night.

They snarled from the kick-off like greyhounds from the traps. Strachan, making only his second start of the season, must have passed on his energy to the rest of the team as their pumped-up persistence crafted a goal after just minute 21 seconds.

Steve Ogrizovic threw the ball out to his manager on the right and though the little Scotsman's progress was interrupted by Patrick Vieira, the Frenchman's pass inside to Tony Adams created all sorts of problems on the edge of the Arsenal area.

Suddenly, the Arsenal skipper found himself under pressure and could only half-clear the ball which found its way to Gary McAllister on the left edge of the area.

The Coventry captain's shot was nothing great, but it took a deflection off Steve Bould which helped it on its way, somewhat fortuitously, to Dion Dublin, standing unmarked 12 yards out and he shot coolly past David Seaman.

The home side nearly went 2-0 ahead 18 minutes later when Dublin's header from McAllister was kicked off the line by Nigel Winterburn. But if the visiting defence was looking shell shocked and panicked, Arsenal soon woke up to the fact they had a battle on their hands and found holes at the other end.

First, Bould fired in a header from the recalled Paul Merson's corner which Ogrizovic could only parry and Ian Wright was just a whisker away from capitalising. But on 19 minutes, just seconds after Winterburn's off line clearance, the Coventry goalkeeper made an error which Arsenal did punish.

Merson's through ball to Wright looked an easy enough gather for Ogrizovic just inside his area, but, perhaps with half an eye on the Arsenal striker, he dropped the ball. Wright pounced, pushed it round Ogrizovic and then felt his legs being taken away by the goalkeeper. Wright converted the subsequent penalty for his 28th goal of the season.

This was the most competitive match seen at Highfield Road in years. Coventry have been like this since Strachan put his boots back on four games ago and the team has since performed with a belated verve more in keeping with its £22 million purchase price. The late climb up the table has come as a relief to the supporters, if not a surprise. Managers might change at Coventry, but the annual relegation escape act seems written into their contract.

The second half picked up where the first one left off, with Coventry threatening and wasting two great chances to take the lead. On 54 minutes, Darren Huckerby once again exposed Adams's vulnerability to the quick turn, but he shot wide.

Two minutes later, Paul Telfer was guilty of an even worse miss when Huckerby's cross from the left bounced across the area and found the wing back unmarked on the back post. To the disbelief of his team mates, and the crowd, he contrived to head wide.

Arsenal were subject to a battering against Blackburn in Saturday's 1-1 draw and were faring little better last night against a side prepared to disrupt their passing movements, deny Dennis Bergkamp and Merson passing options and, if all else failed, swamp defence.

Arsenal's more sophisticated approach brought little encouragement. Bergkamp fired just wide with a 20-yard free kick but for the most part, Arsene Wenger's team were breathlessly on the back foot.