Flynn Downes' second goal of the season and a Kuryu Matsuki tap-in were enough to secure all three points for Southampton as they made it twelve matches unbeaten in all competitions.
As expected, both Léo Scienza and Ross Stewart were unavailable due to injury. Tonda Eckert shuffled his pack and opted to play five across the middle with Cameron Bragg in the holding role.
The Saints were almost ahead within ten minutes when a cleverly worked free-kick found Kuryu Matsuki unmarked beyond the far post. The Japanese winger headed the ball back across the six-yard box, where Cyle Larin controlled the ball on his chest. Unfortunately for the Canadian, his snatched effort slid just wide of the left-hand post.
Coventry City's Ephron Mason-Clark caused Southampton persistent problems down the left in the first half hour. James Bree and Matsuki had to work hard to shut down the space that the Coventry winger had to work in.
A swift counter-attack almost got Larin in behind, but good covering defence snuffed out the Canadian as he tried to cut in from the right.
Luke Woolfenden should have put the home side ahead when he got above Jack Stephens at the far post following a cross from a short corner. However, the 27-year-old centre back could only manage to steer his weak header wide of the far post.
Peretz makes a wonder save to keep scoreline level
Southampton goalkeeper, Daniel Peretz, kept the scoreline level with an outstanding save a couple of minutes before half-time. Liam Kitching found himself free in the box, and he must have thought he had scored when his powerful header looked destined for the corner of the net.
Peretz had other ideas, and he flew to his left sharply to get a strong hand to the ball, sending it wide of the post.
Mason-Clark found enough room to get a cross into the box in additional time at the end of the first half. His cross picked out Haji Wright on the penalty spot, who volleyed his shot wide of the left-hand post with Peretz stranded.
Half-Time: Coventry City 0-0 Southampton
Southampton started the second half brightly and were ahead within three minutes of the restart. Kuryu Matsuki's inswinging cross from the right eluded everyone and canoned back into play off the far post. Flynn Downes reacted first and was on hand to fire the ball into the empty net from close range.
Coventry City 0-1 Southampton
A few moments later, Ryan Manning fired a trademark free-kick narrowly wide of Carl Rushworth's left-hand upright after Larin had been bundled over just outside of the box.
The Sky Blues responded well, and Kitching almost got them back on level terms with another header at the far post. Again, the centre-back's effort lacked direction and failed to trouble Peretz.
Haji Wright should have got Coventry back on level terms when he headed straight at Peretz from six yards out in a central position.
Cameron Archer and Shea Charles replaced Larin and Cameron Bragg, respectively, after 66 minutes.
Matsuki fired wide from the edge of the area with fifteen minutes of the match left to play, after good work down the left from Charles almost found Finn Azaz in the box.
James Bree's inswinging corner in the 85th minute seemed to hit Kuryu Matsuki as he stuck out a leg from a yard out, taking the ball past Rushworth in the Coventry goal.
Coventry City 0-2 Southampton
As the clock ticked into additional time, Shea Charles' clumsy challenge on Victor Torp resulted in a penalty for the home side. Torp dusted himself down and burried the ball past Peretz and into the bottom left-hand corner.