Coventry City 0 Bristol City 3: McIndoe celebrates 'togetherness'

Bristol City's pursuit of Championship consolidation already resembles one of the season's more modest ambitions. By going top on Saturday for the second time since returning this summer from eight years in the lower divisions they did enough to suggest their agenda might shift from staying up to going up.

For now, it is all fresh and exciting, not least with West Bromwich Albion visiting Ashton Gate tomorrow night. But the way they traded blow for blow with Coventry City and replaced them as leaders in some style underlined their advances under the impressive Gary Johnson.

Gifted an early lead by Elliott Ward's mistake in a frenetic first half of near misses at both ends, they accepted another helping hand when Dimi Konstantopoulos punched a corner into his own net 16 minutes from time. Then, to round off the day, Darren Byfield used his debut as a substitute to crack in a third. They also defended extremely well round their centre-backs Liam Fontaine and Louis Carey.

"It will take a lot to beat us this season," said Michael McIndoe, the left-winger recently reunited with Johnson following life together at Yeovil. He scored the first, made the second and will tell anyone that leaving Wolverhampton was not a downwards move. "All the players live and die for the cause. I have had a lot of clubs and never seen the togetherness there is in this team."

Bristol's goalmouth sometimes bore a charmed life, often when Adriano Basso was found wanting by high balls, and Coventry, their own best start for 14 years halted, could easily have scored one or two.

Iain Dowie saw an energetic first Championship start from Ellery Cairo on the right and introduced his captain, Arjan de Zeeuw, for an injury-delayed debut. The manager believes his side can bounce straight back at Crystal Palace tomorrow.

Goals: McIndoe (15) 0-1; Konstantopoulos og (74) 0-2; Byfield (90) 0-3.

Coventry City (4-4-2): Konstantopoulos; Hall (Andrews, 86), De Zeeuw, Ward, Borrowdale; Cairo, Hughes, Doyle, Tabb (Simpson, 68); McKenzie, Adebola. Substitutes not used: Marshall (gk), Davis, Turner.

Bristol City (4-4-2): Basso; Orr, Carey, Fontaine, McAllister; Wilson, Johnson (Skuse, 82), Elliott, McIndoe; Sproule (Byfield, 66), Trundle (Murray, 74). Substitutes not used: Weale (gk), McCombe.

Referee: P Joslin (Nottinghamshire).

Booked: Coventry Doyle, Tabb, De Zeeuw, Adebola, Ward; Bristol Elliott.

Man of the match: Carey.

Attendance: 21,538.