Supersub Liam Lawrence sealed all three points for the Potters to send them back to the top of the Championship table with just three games remaining.

His winner eleven minutes from time came after City had fought back from a goal down to gain the victory.

Elliot Ward converted a penalty for the hosts half an hour in before Ricardo Fuller equalised from the penalty spot after fifty-four minutes in what proved to be an excellent second half performance by Tony Pulis' men.

The City boss made two changes from the line-up that lost to Crystal Palace with Fuller and Carl Dickinson coming in for Mamady Sidibe and a flued-up Glenn Whelan.

Lawrence was only fit enough for the bench while former Potter Marcus Hall was named amongst Coventry's substitutes.

And it was the hosts who applied the early pressure when Kevin Thorton's header struck the bar and Michael Doyle drove another attempt just wide of the post in only the first three minutes.

The Potters forced their first corner of the game after ten minutes but still had to endure heavy pressure from the home side.

Doyle saw another strike fly just wide of Nash's net after twenty-two minutes before an injured Shola Ameobi had to be replaced by Sidibe three minutes later.

The introduction of Sidibe saw City's first real attack on goal materialise and his burst down the right resulted in a through ball for Fuller, but the Jamaican chose to run with the ball instead of shooting and was shepherded away from goal by several defenders.

Coventry were soon on the attack again and were awarded a penalty by referee Uriah Rennie after Dickinson committed a foul amidst a mass scramble in City's six yard box.

Ward stepped up and scored his fourth penalty of the season to put the Sky Blues in the lead on the half hour mark.

Things went from bad to worse for Pulis just before the break when he was forced to make his second first half substitution.

Andy Griffin limped off with a hamstring problem and was replaced by Ryan Shawcross with Chris Riggott switching to right back.

The second half saw the Potters come out of the blocks well with Fuller testing Kasper Schmeichel almost immediately.

He latched onto Sidibe's flick-on before turning a defender and testing the on-loan stopper with a low strike en-route to the bottom left hand corner.

A mazy run followed minutes later with the powerful striker being brought down in the box after the home side failed to deal with his pace and trickery.

Fuller got up to strike the ball to the left of the keeper and draw the score line level nine minutes after the restart.

City's second half domination continued and Stephen Pearson almost connected with Fuller's left wing cross on the hour mark to put the Potters ahead.

Lawrence was then brought on for Pearson midway through the half and his free-kick moments after saw Rory Delap fire over from a poor clearance.

Lawrence then repaid the manager's faith in him eleven minutes from time when Cresswell was challenged on the edge of the area having been put through on goal.

The former Sunderland man was on hand quickly to pick up the loose ball and fire it left footed through the bodies on the line to send the City faithful behind the goal into euphoria.

It produced scenes reminiscent of the defeat of West Brom at the Hawthorns this time last season and it must surely be a big confidence boost ahead of the penultimate home game against promotion rivals Bristol City next weekend.