Twice Oxford, who had won both their opening two league and cup games, came from behind to leave them thinking they could maintain their unbeaten start to the season.

They followed Wright’s opening header by quickly equalising through Ciaron Brown. Then, when Milan van Ewijk drilled the Sky Blues into a half-time lead, the U’s did it again when Mark Harris levelled from close range on 55 minutes.

But there was a sting in the tail when Wright, making his first start after a troubled, injury-hit pre-season, rounded the keeper following Will Vaulks’ misplaced backpass to earn City their first home victory since early April.

Coventry went ahead for the first time on the night when Van Ewijk and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto linked up well in a rapid move down the right. From Van Ewijk’s hanging cross, Wright rose highest to power home an unstoppable header.

It should have quickly been 2-0 but, from Wright’s left-wing cross, Ellis Simms got himself in a tangle and the chance was spurned.

Oxford were level on 22 minutes when Coventry made a mess of clearing a harshly awarded free-kick, the ball cannoned off Simms’ shin into the path of visiting defender Brown and he drilled an instinctive first-time low left-foot finish just inside the left upright.

Coventry were then back in front after 31 minutes when, as Wright’s attempt to cause havoc down the left was brought to a halt, the ball skewed square across the 18-yard line. The alert Sakamoto cleverly dummied for Van Ewijk lurking behind him, and the Dutch defender’s powerful low right-foot shot nutmegged not just one but two Oxford defenders on its way in.

Wright was then denied at the far post with another chance to give Coventry a two-goal cushion – and this proved costly 10 minutes into the second half when Oxford levelled for a second time.

From Cameron Brannagan’s left-wing cross, Ruben Rodrigues attempted a diving header at almost floor level and it flew in the direction of Harris who, having been kept onside by Coventry’s last man, turned it in off his groin.

Oxford keeper Jamie Cumming kept his side in it when he flew across his line to keep out home defender Luis Binks’ back-post header, before making a brilliant late double save from Wright and then home debutant Ephron Mason-Clark.

But, in a game as open as this one, there was always likely to be one final plot twist and, with one costly lapse of concentration, it duly came from Wright.

‘Tasty football from both sides’

Coventry City boss Mark Robins told BBC CWR:

“We can drop ourselves in it, that’s for sure. We can’t be giving goals away like that.

“But some of our attacking play was unbelievable – and they have had to defend really well. Their keeper’s made two great saves.

“If Haji Wright keeps going like that, with his pace and power all over the pitch, then he’s going to be unplayable.

“What a game though. Some tasty football from both sides – and a great way for us to start at home.”

Oxford United boss Des Buckingham told BBC Radio Oxford:

“Football can be a cruel game – and the last 30 seconds of the game has just shown us that again. We deserved a point.

“But I said to the players that they can be so proud, after a wonderful performance last week, of the way we’ve come away from home and performed against such a tough team in an atmosphere like this.

“To come here and be brave enough to play the way we did, I can’t ask much more of them.

“If we keep showing that same desire and togetherness for the next 44 games, we’ll put ourselves in a very strong space.”