Nathan Tella scored his fifth goal of the Championship season to lead Burnley to a crucial victory over Coventry in their campaign for an immediate return to the Premier League.
The Southampton loanee gave the Clarets a well-deserved lead with a calm finish just before the break, after Vincent Kompany's side dominated the play in the first half.
The Sky Blues applied the pressure in the second half with a rare quadruple substitution but it came to nothing.
Burnley weathered the storm to leapfrog Reading and take fourth place in the Championship, whilst Coventry see their unbeaten run stopped to remain stuck to the bottom of the table.
Story of the match
The Clarets had the better of the opening exchanges and were the first to go close.
Chelsea loanee Ian Maatsen, on-loan with Coventry last season, saw his delivery into the area met by a chorus of boos in the stands and by Kyle McFadzean in the box.
However the Sky Blues defender could only clear as far as Josh Cullen, whose first time volley bounced past the post.
Coventry provided a tough test for their opponents to break down, but Burnley remained patient, kept up the pressure and were rewarded five minutes before the break.
Cullen chipped the ball over the head of Jonathan Panzo and into the path of the on-running Tella, who expertly brought the ball down with his first touch and calmly slid past Wilson with his second to give the Clarets a crucial lead.
The home side almost broke back immediately, though.
A Kasey Palmer corner was met by Panzo, but the Nottingham Forest loanee saw his header bounce off the underside of the bar and cleared off the line to preserve Burnley's slim lead.
City switch it up
The opening 15 minutes of the second half was very much more of the same in the Midlands, with Mark Robins' men sitting off Burnley and letting them play.
But with 30 minutes to play, Robins made a quadruple substitution to get the Sky Blues back into the game.
Callum Doyle, McFadzean, Palmer and Tyler Walker all made way for Michael Rose, Josh Eccles, Matty Godden and Fabio Tavares, in a bid from the home side to get more men forward and counter Burnley's pressure.
Burnley had the next chance despite the changes.
Coventry 'keeper Wilson got caught in no-man's land as the ball fell to substitute Johann Gudmundsson but scrambled back in time to be equal to the Icelander's long-range effort.
Robins' risk bore no reward as the referee brought an end to a spirited performance from the Sky Blues but the difference in quality was plain to see, with Burnley showing the crowd at the CBS Arena why they are promotion contenders.
Player of the Match
Josh Cullen
Burnley's ever-present midfielder has now played all-bar-one minute of football for the Clarets this season and impressed again today.
Most notably, his delightful chip for Tella's winning goal demonstrated his quality when he has the ball. It was weighted perfectly to drop right between defender and goalkeeper and allowing the on-loan forward to seal three crucial points.
However, out of possession, he was equally as impressive. For large parts of the second half, Burnley came under pressure as the home side committed men forward and tried to overrun the midfield.
However, his ability to dictate the tempo of the press alongside Jack Cork stopped Coventry from playing and forced them wide, arguably winning Kompany's men the game.
Coventry starting XI: Wilson (GK), Dabo (Kane 85'), Doyle (Eccles 60'), McFadzean (Rose 60'), Panzo, Bidwell, Sheaf, Allen, Palmer (Tavares 60'), Gyokeres, Walker (Godden 60')
Coventry unused substitutes: Moore (GK), Waghorn
Burnley starting XI: Peacock-Farrell (GK), Vitinho, Harwood-Bellis, Beyer (Taylor 46'), Maatsen, Cullen, Cork, Tella (Roberts 83'), Brownhill, Zaroury (Gudmundsson 74'), Rodriguez (Barnes 89')
Burnley unused substitutes: Franchi (GK), Bastien, Benson