Leeds United's tenth successful penalty of the season earned them a priceless point at Coventry, while Sheffield United's defeat at Norwich cut the increasingly blunt Blades' advantage to four points.

Leeds still have a game in hand and their visit to Bramall Lane next month is growing in importance by the week. However, fourth-placed Watford will go above Leeds tonight if they win at Southampton.

With Robbie Blake having been substituted, the penalty-taking task at Coventry fell to his replacement David Healy who turned a blind eye to the Sky Blues' gamesmanship and kept his cool to equalise.

Referee Clive Oliver harshly ruled that Andy Whing had handled and Healy was kept waiting as Coventry tried every trick in the book to delay him and build up the tension, but the Irishman made them pay. He said: "We deserved to get something out of the game. It was a point gained on Sheffield United, there is still a long way to go and there's a lot to play for."

Manager Kevin Blackwell had to earn his corn with some straight talking at half time, after Gary McSheffrey had fired Coventry into a 26th-minute lead. Blackwell admitted: "We were not at the races in the first half and had a few words at half time, but we looked a lot stronger after the break and thoroughly deserved the point.

"Micky Adams had his team fired up and they responded, but in the end their keeper was their man of the match. He pulled off three or four great saves to keep them in the game. Coventry used their professionalism - it took four minutes for our penalty to be taken - but David Healy kept a cool head and it was an excellent finish."

With Sean Gregan suspended, Matthew Kilgallon returned in central defence for his first game since suffering knee and hamstring injuries in January and he failed to stop Dale Adebola in the build-up to McSheffrey's goal.

Blackwell said: "The problem for Matthew was that he hadn't played since the FA Cup replay against Wigan. The reserve game last Monday was called off so he was only able to train before being thrown back in at the deep end."

Leeds will tomorrow night attempt to make it eight home league games unbeaten and ten undefeated home and away when they look to complete a double over Crystal Palace.

Leeds match facts

Coca-Cola Championship

Coventry City 1, Leeds United 1

(at the Ricoh Arena)

Coventry City: Fulop, Whing, Page, Shaw, Hall, Scowcroft, Hutchison, Doyle (Thornton 84), McSheffrey (Impey 79), John, Adebola. Subs not used: Ince, Williams, Morrell.

Booked: McSheffrey, Hutchison, Page.

Goal: McSheffrey 26.

Leeds United: Sullivan, Kelly, Butler, Kilgallon, Crainey, Douglas (Moore 74), Derry, Miller, Blake (Healy 61), Hulse, Lewis. Subs not used: Bennett, Einarsson, Bakke.

Goal: Healy 88 pen.

Referee: C Oliver (Northumberland).

Attendance: 26,643.

Updated: 10:02 Monday, March 20, 2006