Bellamy booster lifts Coventry

'He has been under enormous pressure because of his price tag but what people forget is that he had a long spell out of action last season with injury and it was always going to take a while before he found his form after moving to new surroundings. I don't think he will have any problems from here on in - that goal will give him additional confidence.'

Strachan admitted that he was a relieved man as his side emerged from their worst run for many years with a victory that was far more comfortable than the score suggested.

They had hit rock bottom the previous week when they lost 2-1 to fellow relegation battlers Bradford City and Strachan said: 'I've always told the players that if they worked hard enough, they would get their just rewards. Last week I was proved to be a liar.

'But we retained our self-belief, continued to graft and challenge for every ball and finally it has paid dividends. It was a hard game for us against Leicester but under the circumstances I thought my play-ers did as well as they could.'

Of the outstanding Bellamy, Strachan added: 'He picked himself for this match because of his attitude in training. He is an enthusiastic player. Like everyone else he has felt the pressure and although we are relieved to have won, we know we still have a long way to go before we are safe.' It is hard to overestimate the psychological importance of this win for Coventry, who now have games against a succession of clubs who are looking over their shoulders with concern - Derby, Southampton, Everton, Middlesbrough and Manchester City.

Bellamy understands that Coventry cannot afford to rest on the laurels of one isolated three-pointer and said: 'It is vital that we stay on a winning streak. It's up to us to build on this result and get out of trouble.'

There was a certain inevitability about Bellamy's goal, even though it took 40 minutes before Coventry broke down the resistance of a Leicester defence in which skipper Matt Elliott was his usual towering and, at times, belligerent self.

Ironically, Elliott was the catalyst for a goal that consigned his team to a rare defeat when he cleared a long throw-in from the right by Paul Telfer straight back into the path of the midfielder.

Telfer gratefully accepted a second opportunity to stretch Leicester's defence with an inviting cross towards the far post. Frank Sinclair was slow to appreciate the danger and his hesitation gave Bellamy the chance to deliver a powerful header into the corner of the net.

It was beyond argument that Strachan's side deserved their lead after a first half in which they were unlucky not to score when Moustapha Hadji headed against the foot of a post following an inswinging corner from David Thompson.

Coventry might have thought that was a bad omen but they never allowed their heads to drop. Bellamy was a constant problem for Leicester's defence and Elliott at one stage appeared to elbow him in the face, although the Scot was not booked by referee Steve Dunn.

Leicester manager Peter Taylor said: 'It was a disappointing performance. My players looked at the pitch and felt they couldn't play on it. I do not think that was a good enough excuse.'

Leicester were strangely unassertive in midfield following the transfer of Neil Lennon to Celtic and Taylor will intensify his search for a replacement in the coming week. But this was unquestionably a day that belonged to Coventry - and Bellamy.