There were so many senior citizens on parade last night that it would have been no surprise to see Captain Mainwaring on the touchline. In his absence this footballing version of Dad's Army was as tiresome and predictable as some of the repeats on UK Gold.

For a side whose feats of escapology have become near-legendary during three decades of top-flight football, Coventry's fate would appear to be secure after Gary McAllister's late goal broke the deadlock as the match seemingly petered towards a scoreless draw.

With Mark Hughes making his debut for Everton in front of 37-year-old Richard Gough and Coventry's ageing McAllister and Colin Hendry also proving they can be a durable lot north of the border, the home manager Gordon Strachan had billed this as potential sequel to Jurassic Park.

Much of Coventry's predicament is due to their midfielders Mustapha Hadji and Youssef Chippo going missing for long spells.

Instead the visitors played with the carefree abandon of a team for whom meaningless end-of-season matches have come blissfully early for a change, but they lacked an incisive edge in the absence of Kevin Campbell and Francis Jeffers.

Mark Hughes was the nuisance that he always is but the days when defences shuddered at the sight of him are long gone.

Everton had a remarkable escape when Cedric Roussel, with an open goal, hit the post. The second time he hit the upright, McAllister was on hand to scoop home the rebound and register Coventry's first goal in more than 500 minutes of football.

Coventry: Hedman, Gustafsson, Burrows, Shaw, Hendry, Hadji, Eustace (Zuniga 81), McAllister, Chippo, Whelan, Roussel. Subs Not Used: Hyldgaard, Breen, Normann, Quinn. Goals: McAllister 86.

Everton: Gerrard, Dunne, Weir, Gough, Collins, Barmby (Gemmill 81), Pembridge, S. Hughes (Unsworth 70), Xavier, Moore (Cadamarteri 66), M. Hughes. Subs Not Used: Myhre, Ward.

Referee: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City).