SAINTS remain in danger at the bottom of the Championship table after being held to a goalless draw by fellow relegation scrappers Coventry at St Mary's.

In a very nervy and scrappy game neither side was able to create more than an occasional chance and in the end the result was a fair reflection of the game.

But for both sides it kept them in the battle to survive, probably now right down to the very end of the season.

The blustery conditions made it tough going and the early stages of the game were scrappy.

Coventry were often looking to get the ball in early to Leon Best to either control and bring either Jay Tabb or Michael Mifsud into play or to try and get in behind himself from a long ball. Alternatively they were looking to loft the ball into the corners for Tabb and Mifsud to chase down.

Jason Euell had the first effort on goal on ten minutes when the ball ricocheted to him but from 20 yards out he drove wide of the target.

Stephen Hughes had a go for Coventry a minute later but could only hook over the bar after a cross had been half cleared.

Saints had appeals for a penalty waved away on 18 minutes.

Some neat interplay saw the ball lofted over the backline where Stern John closed in on goal but hit the deck as Kasper Schmeichel came out to try and claim the ball but the referee decided it was a fair challenge.

Schmeichel had to be quick off his line again a minute later, this time just managing to clear before Vincent Pericard could get to the ball.

John had half a chance on 24 minutes when he met Gregory Vignal's low fizzed free kick from deep but didn't connect cleanly.

There was a better opportunity for Pericard two minutes later when he was played in on the left side of the area but fired his half volleyed effort wide.

Youssef Safri tried his luck from 25 yards out on 35 minutes but it went well wide.

Coventry managed a shot on target three minutes later but it was a tame hit from Michael Doyle that was straight at Richard Wright.

Darren Powell was first to a corner five minutes before half time but could only direct his header over the bar from ten yards out.

Saints did have another chance before the break with the ball being cut back to John from Jhon Viafara on the right.

He span and hit it early on the half volley from the edge of the area but it was taken by Schmeichel diving to his right.

It was a comfortable save but it was the only stop of any note made by either keeper which explained why it remained goalless at half time.

Coventry made a tactical switch at the break pushing Mifsud up alongside Best in a 4-4-2 formation with Tabb on the left of midfield and Kevin Thornton on the right.

But it was Saints who created the first chance of the half and came the closest of either side to breaking the deadlock.

The ball was fed into Mario Licka inside the area with his back to goal but he turned well and fired a half volley that Schmeichel was at full stretch down to his left to stop and just managed to hold on to as Saints closed in.

Wright had to make his first save of note on 55 minutes when Mifsud cut in from the left and hit a near post shot from the edge of the area but the new Saints keeper got down at his near post to stop.

Hughes became the first player in the book three minutes later for a high challenge on Euell.

Viafara whipped in a great cross towards the far post on the hour mark but John's downward header was blocked at the by Schmeichel.

Best was the next in the book for a foul on Powell.

The game was starting to liven up and Schmeichel was again in action, this time saving down to his right from Pericard's low shot from 25 yards.

Coventry made their first switch on 65 minutes with Julian Gray coming on for Thornton. He went to the left with Tabb switching to the right.

Saints gave away a needless free kick in a central position 25 yards out on 68 minutes when Wayne Thomas clattered into the back of Best but Daniel Fox's effort curled round the wall but wide of the post.

Wright made a terrific save on 70 minutes to keep out Isaac Osbourne who stole the ball on the right, burst into the area and curled a shot with the outside of his right foot but the Saints keeper produced a strong one handed save to turn it away.

Saints made their first change a minute later with Bradley Wright-Phillips' exile ending as he replaced Pericard.

Fox hit an ambitious effort from 40 yards that Wright was happy to see over the bar.

Wright-Phillips had the ball in the net on 76 minutes but the flag had already gone up for offside.

Coventry made their second switch on 81 minutes with Mifsud coming off for Robbie Simpson.

John had a great chance to give Saints the lead a minute later when Safri chipped the ball into the box, Euell helped it in towards John whose sidefooted volley from eight yards out was straight at the advancing Schmeichel.

Saints escaped by the skin of their teeth on 87 minutes when the ball rolled across the six yard box but no Coventry player could turn it home while Gray's effort after he collected the ball was turned over by Wright.

As the game wore to a close there was a flare up which saw Elliott Ward booked after a challenge with his studs up.

The fourth official indicated three minutes of stoppage time but neither side could create another chance in that time and the match ended with a point apiece.