Former Coventry striker Jay Bothroyd was Cardiff City's hero as they bounced back from early-season jitters to see off his old club at Ninian Park.
Bothroyd hit home after 31 minutes and was brought down in the penalty box late on to give Ross McCormack the penalty chance he scored from.
Coventry struck back through Scott Dann, but Chris Coleman's team could not make any further headway.
The visitors have now won only one of their last eight games.
Cardiff City manager Dave Jones:
"We didn't want it to be open. In the first-half we made too many mistakes and looked edgy, but we got a great goal from a good run by Jay Bothroyd from a fantastic ball off Whitts (Peter Whittingham).
"In the second-half the turning point was probably when the referee came back and disallowed the (Coventry) goal, which was the right decision and we all agree with that.
"I think Chris (Coleman)'s beef was that the linesman didn't keep his flag up and thought he was going to wave for offside, but it was handball.
"We probably played twice as good last Saturday (at Birmingham) and came away with nothing."
Cardiff: Heaton, McNaughton, Purse, Roger Johnson, Kennedy, Whittingham, Rae, McPhail, Ledley, McCormack, Bothroyd.
Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Gyepes, Eddie Johnson, Parry, Comminges.
Goals: Bothroyd 31, McCormack 85 pen.
Coventry: Westwood, Fox, Ward (Hall 46), Dann, Osbourne, Doyle, Tabb (Mifsud 70), Gunnarsson, Morrison (Best 73), Eastwood, McKenzie.
Subs Not Used: Marshall, Beuzelin.
Booked: Gunnarsson, McKenzie.
Goals: Dann 89.
Att: 16,312
Ref: Roger East (Wiltshire).
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