COVENTRY BEGIN TO SHAPE UP; Coleman's first choice lines up: COVENTRY CITY 1 Best, 52 mins CRYSTAL PALACE 1 Ambrose, 28 mins.

Byline: ADAM DENT

COVENTRY City boss Chris Coleman finally managed to field a side that resembled a first choice 11 - and it showed.

The Sky Blues manager has been sending out patched up line-ups in recent weeks and it has seen his team slip down the Championship table.

A draw against Crystal Palace means they have gone seven games without a win but, as Coleman suggested, this should be seen as a platform to go on and improve. With David Bell and Michael McIndoe on either flank and a centreback pairing of Richard Wood, who signed on-loan from Sheffield Wednesday in midweek, and Leon Barnett, who is onloan from West Brom, Coventry could fi-nally boast 11 men playing in their preferred position.

They still found themselves a goal down in a first half in which they looked more solid but failed to create a single clear-cut chance as Darren Ambrose continued a hot run of form to put Palace a goal up after 28 minutes.

Leon Best's equaliser at the start of the second half from McIndoe's excellent cross set up a much more lively period for City and, on another day, they would have secured all three points.

Courage Coleman said: "It was a tough game and I knew it would be. There was a lot of courage and a lot of spirit and the reason we didn't get three points wasn't a lack of effort, things are just not dropping for us.

"We have been playing square pegs in round holes and you can only do that for so many games. We had a lot of players back today and that showed but I want to see them play half a dozen games together, then you have a chance.

"There is a lot more to come from some of them. That was David Bell's first 90 minutes for six months and you've got Richard Wood who hadn't played 90 minutes for six weeks and Leon Barnett hasn't been playing at West Brom. They are all going to get stronger.

"I was pleased with the front two also. I have told them I want them to work harder for the team and they did that. Leon has got his goal but Clinton worked his socks off too. This can be a platform for us to build on."

The home team were gifted a chance in the first minute when Palace keeper Julian Speroni spilled the ball after a routine nod back from Danny Butterfield. Winger McIndoe latched onto the ball but the angle was too tight to shoot and the ball got stuck in his feet.

McIndoe fired in a good cross moments later but Palace cleared.

The visitors' first sight of goal came in the seventh minute when hot-shot midfielder Darren Ambrose let fly from distance but it cleared Keiren Westwood's bar.

Ambrose crossed from the left moments later and Neil Danns' strong header was matched by an equally solid save from Westwood.

The danger still wasn't clear and Freddy Sears sent the ball back into the box and Aron Gunnarsson was inches away from diverting into his own net.

City paid the price for giving the ball away in midfield as Neil Warnock's side broke forward and took the lead. Barnett couldn't get enough on his clearance from Shaun Derry's cross and the ball landed at the feet of Sears.

He drilled a cross to the back post and Ambrose was unmarked to tap in his 11th goal of the season.

Coventry looked better generally for having round pegs in round holes but still they were struggling to create clear-cut chances but, just before the break, Gunnarsson rose to meet McIndoe's corner but he was just off target.

City got back on level terms straight after half-time as the much-improved McIndoe produced a fine piece of wing play to set up the equaliser.

Confidence He showed Butterfield a clean set of heels before crossing for Best to head past Speroni for his eighth goal of the season.

Coleman's men grew in confidence and almost forced a second in the 52nd minute when Speroni dropped Bell's freekick but Wood, who was outstanding on his debut, just couldn't divert into the net after a scramble.

Sears forced a solid stop from Westwood on the hour mark with a snapshot from the edge of the box but Coventry were comfortably on top in the second half but couldn't make the most of their dominance.

Alan Lee almost scored an own goal from a dangerous McIndoe free-kick before Morrison came close to prodding home after a goalmouth scramble.

There was an angry exchange between Morrison and Palace manager Neil Warnock when the City striker went down under a challenge from Fonte close to the visitors' dugout.

Fonte was on a yellow card and Warnock clearly felt that the former Eagles forward was trying to get his man sent off but referee Jarnail Singh kept his cards in his pocket.

COVENTRY CITY(4-4-2): Westwood; Wright, Wood, Barnett, Van Aanholt; Bell, Cork, Gunnarsson, McIndoe; Best, Morrison (Madine 90). Subs not used: Konstantopoulos, McPake, Eastwood, Cranie, Cain, Grandison.

CRYSTAL PALACE(4-2-3-1): Speroni; Butterfield, Davis, Fonte, Hill; Derry, Ertl; Sears (John 70), Danns (N'Diaye 90), Ambrose; Lee (Andrew 70). Subs not used: Clyne, McCarthy, Carle, Moses.

STARMAN: Michael McIndoe DENIED: Clinton Morrison narrowly avoids taking the lead.

CAPTION(S):

SCRAMBLE: Clinton Morrison's shirt pulled in the box by Jose Fonte. GOAL JOY: Leon Best celebrates with Aron Gunnarsson after scoring City's equaliser. TACKLE: Richard Wood fights with Claude Davis. KICKING OFF: Morrison clashes with Johannes Ertl.