COVENTRY CITY yesterday lived to struggle, and no doubt escape, again. Their 2-1 victory over Tottenham at White Hart Lane proved enough to keep the perennial survivors afloat for another season.

Not for the first time, Sunderland were the victims of Coventry's extraordinary capacity for wriggling clear of relegation at the last moment. Twenty years earlier, Coventry had sent them down by drawing 2-2 with Bristol City while Sunderland lost 2-0 at Everton. Yesterday, the 1-0 defeat Peter Reid's team suffered at Wimbledon was enough to turn Coventry's grey skies back to their own lighter shade of blue.

Coventry's escape in 1977 had caused some controversy because the home match with Bristol City, had begun five minutes late and Coventry knew the result from Goodison Park before their game had ended. By a remarkable coincidence, yesterday's kickoff was put back by 15 minutes on the orders of the police because, like 20 years ago, Coventry supporters had been stuck in traffic.

This time, however, far from offering Coventry an advantage, the delay gave Gordon Strachan's players their most harrowing 15 minutes of the season, in some cases their careers. Coventry had to play out the last quarter hour knowing they were safe unless Tottenham scored an equaliser.

Spurs were severely weakened by injuries, as they have been for much of the season with nine of Gerry Francis's regular first team missing. To their credit, however, Tottenham strained for a second goal to the last and but for Steve Ogrizovic, Coventry's 39 year old goalkeeper, they would surely have scored it.

With six minutes remaining, Ogrizovic kept out a shot from Neale Fenn feet first and then, following a corner from Ruel Fox, blocked a pointblank header from Jason Dozzell. Had either of those gone in, Coventry's future as a Premier League team would have been as bare as the girl who made a brief appearance before the kick off wearing only red knickers and a nice smile.

So 30 years after Jimmy Hill brought Coventry up from the old second division, Highfield Road continues to enjoy League football, at the highest level. Of the present members of the Premier League, only Arsenal, Everton and Liverpool have been up longer.

This was the 10th time Coventry's survival had been in question until the last day. One day they will surely leave it too late.

Coventry's commitment to the game was never in doubt once David Burrows upending of Steve Carr had brought the first of six yellow cards that referee Martin Bodenham flourished in the opening 24 minutes four of them for Strachan's men.

As Kevin Richardson and Gary McAllister began to control the game, opening up the flanks and establishing links with Darren Huckerby and Dion Dublin, so Tottenham's old defensive uncertainties began to reappear.

Coventry established a 2-0 lead following corners from McAllister. After 13 minutes, he played the ball short to Noel Whelan and, from the return pass, floated a precise centre into the goalmouth which Dublin headed in. Seven minutes before half time, another corner from McAllister swung wide to Paul Williams whose rightfooted shot bobbled in.

Paul McVeigh headed his first goal for Spurs in the closing minutes of the first half, following up after Teddy Sheringham's free kick had hit a post. But once Ogrizovic had made his double save, Coventry always looked secure.