LEEDS United manager Dennis Wise refused to discuss David Healy's future after he inspired a priceless 2-1 Coca-Cola Championship victory against Coventry.

The Northern Ireland striker ended a six-match goal drought with a superb opener against the Sky Blues and then provided the chance for Jonathon Douglas to fire a 53rd-minute winner.

Healy has 18 months to run on his contract, but has been linked with a transfer window move to the Barclays Premiership, with Wigan, Charlton and Sheffield United among the clubs rumoured to be interested in signing him.

It has been suggested Wise could be forced to sell Healy and highly-rated young York-born defender Matthew Kilgallon in order to raise funds to buy new players.

Wise would not talk about Healy's future, but he admitted: "There isn't too much money to spend, and I think whatever happens will happen and will be right for this football club.

"It will get this football club out of the position in which it is in at the present moment.

"We will do what's best for the football club but I can't go into any details about what might happen."

Wise made six changes for the Sky Blues' visit and a low shot from Healy in the 15th minute put the fallen Premiership giants on the road to victory.

Robbie Blake and Eddie Lewis then saw free-kicks crash against the crossbar before Adam Virgo handed Coventry a scarcely-deserved equaliser on the stroke of half-time.

However, Leeds responded in style and Douglas scuffed home a close-range shot after Healy had been denied by Coventry goalkeeper Andy Marshall.

Wise added: "Healy did fantastically well and I was chuffed to bits for him.

"He's been going through a bit of a barren spell and he knew he wasn't doing great but we've tried to help him.

"He's taken it all on board and he's doing well. This is what David has to do for himself, and he seemed like he had an extra yard today.

"He was probably lacking a bit of confidence but he's gradually getting back into it."

It was a first win in eight games for Leeds, who went into the game on the back of a disastrous seven-match sequence which yielded just two points.

But it was tempered by the news that relegation rivals Hull and Southend also won.

Wise handed a debut to on-loan Sunderland defender Robbie Elliott and also gave a surprise start to Angolan international Rui Marques after Ugo Ehiogu returned to Middlesbrough.

"I was pleased with Rui Marques because we had a long chat about ten days ago," explained Wise.

"He couldn't work out why he'd been brought to this football club and he was a bit down in the dumps.

"I never brought him here, but full credit to him because he hadn't played for a year and a half."

Coventry manager Micky Adams criticised his side's slow start and bemoaned the fact they only got out of second gear after falling 2-1 behind.

Kevin Kyle hit a post late on for the Sky Blues, but Adams moaned: "The name of the game is putting the ball in the back of the net and we've not done that.

"It takes us to go a goal down before we wake from out slumbers and that's disappointing.

"In terms of player movement, Clive Clarke and Richard Duffy have gone back to their respective clubs.

"We'll be talking to Ipswich about Darren Currie and Matt Heath will be talking to Leeds, so we'll see what happens."

Leeds match facts

Coca-Cola Championship

Leeds United 2

Coventry City 1

(at Elland Road)

Leeds United: Sullivan, Richardson (Westlake 61), Rui Marques, Foxe, Elliott, Douglas, Nicholls, Lewis, Blake (Howson 75), Healy, Moore (Kandol 73) Subs (not used): Warner, Carole. Caution: Nicholls. Goals: Healy

Coventry City: Marshall, Whing (Currie 68), Ward, Page, Hall, Birchall (Mckenzie 56), Doyle, Osbourne, Tabb (Adebola 56), Virgo, Kyle. Subs (not used): Cameron, John. Cautions: Page, Whing, Kyle.

Referee: M S Pike (Lancashire)

Attendance: 18,156