TOWN halted the Sky-Blue express - but their 3-1 victory over Coventry came seven months too late.

In the closing stages of the previous season, Town had hosted the Midlanders knowing a win would have given them a great chance of winning promotion to the top flight.

The significance of the occasion was shown by the attendance of the Match of the Day cameras for what was Town's first appearance on the flagship football show.

Stage fright set in, however, and Town slumped to a 2-0 defeat to a side managed by Jimmy Hill, the future Match of the Day presenter.

Tom Johnston's team finished fourth in Division II, three points adrift of Southampton, who went up with champions Manchester City.

Coventry, having come in third, had made a strong start to the 1966-67 campaign, but Town climbed above them to seventh with this win.

Johnston, ignoring the trend for a four-man midfield created by England's World Cup triumph that summer, had reshaped his side with the signing of two wingers.

England cap Mike Hellawell came in from Sunderland for £18,000 while the Scottish boss returned to former club Grimsby to lure Brian Hill.

The arrival of Hill allowed pacy Colin Dobson, a summer recruit from Sheffield Wednesday, to take an inside-forward slot.

Tony Leighton was Town's regular centre-forward, while Brian Clark, signed from Bristol City a month before, had been playing inside-right.

But Clark was ruled out of the Coventry clash by an ankle injury, so youth product John Rudge came in.

Johnston's commitment to attack produced an exciting battle which kept the interest of a 15,192 crowd right the way through.

It wasn't until the final minute, when Republic of Ireland defender Mick Meagan fired home a 20-yard shot, that victory was assured.

Coventry, keeping things tight at the back and aiming to catch Town on the counter attack, went ahead six minutes before half-time.

John Tudor, later to star for Sheffield United and Newcastle, made the breakthrough when he ran onto a cute Bobby Gould chip through.

Town, given an extra attacking dimension by young full-backs Derek Parkin and Chris Cattlin (who was later to join Coventry) stuck to their guns and levelled on 61 minutes.

Yet again Hellawell burst down the right and put in a low centre which caused panic in the Coventry ranks.

The whippet-like Dobson was first to the loose ball, forcing a close-range shot past goalkeeper Bill Glazier.

The former Crystal Palace stopper was again retrieving the ball from the back of the net in the 65th minute.

Northern Ireland ace Jimmy Nicholson, whose accurate passing was a feature of Town's bright play, fired in a free-kick.

It was blocked by the sky-blue wall, but Leighton rushed in to rocket home his 12th goal of the season.

Gould cracked a shot against a post as Coventry pressed for an equaliser.

But Town secured the two points their positive approach deserved when Meagan spotted Glazier off his line - and picked his spot.

Town: Oldfield; Parkin, Cattlin; Nicholson, Coddington, Meagan; Hellawell, Rudge, Leighton, Dobson, Hill. Sub not used: Cherry.

Coventry: Glazier; Kearns, Bruck; Farmer, Curtis, Clements; Rees, Machin, Gould, Tudor, Mitten. Sub not used: Coop.

Referee: K Dagnall (Bolton).