COVENTRY CITY 4 (Tabb 27; Mifsud 31; Adebola 38, 50)
BARNSLEY 1 (Hassell 77)
BARNSLEY'S confidence following the midweek victory at Plymouth Argyle was shattered as CoventryCity ran riot at the Ricoh Arena.
Reds boss Simon Davey kept faith with the side that comprehensively beat Plymouth Argyle in midweek as he looked for a third straight away success. Coventry City included former Barnsley target Jay Tabb in their starting eleven as their looked to make it six without defeat since Iain Dowie's appointment.
Both sides huffed and puffed in the opening stages without really creating anything although Isaac Osbourne brought a low save from Nick Colgan on 12 minutes with a low shot from the edge of the area.
Coventry were unlucky a minute later as a long ball over the top caught out Paul Reid and gave Michael Mifsud a free run on goal. The Maltese striker beat Colgan but saw his shot cannon back off both posts before the Reds were able to clear.
At the other end Istvan Ferenczi did well to play in Sam Togwell on 14 minutes and the midfielder let fly from 25 yards but his shot smashed against the bar and away.
Tabb almost created a chance for Misfud on 16 minutes as his pass caught out the Reds defence before Brian Howard combined well with Ferenczi a minute later to send Peter Rajczi clean through but Andy Marshall was quickly out to smother the danger.
Another long ball out of defence by Coventry City caught out Reid on 20 minutes as Mifsud again got in behind but the Reds skipper did well to recover and put the striker off with his shot going high into the stand. Colin Hawkins then lashed one into the stand from 35 yards on 22 minutes as the home side's frustrations began to tell.
Mifsud again caused problems on 25 minutes as he raced onto Dele Adebola's flick but could only shoot straight at Colgan under pressure from Reid.
Coventry were deservedly in front on 27 minutes as the Reds made a complete mess of clearing Marcus Hall's free kick. The ball fell out to Tabb, who rifled it back off Colgan and into the roof of the net.
Martin Devaney brought as save from Marshall on 31 minutes as he smashed a free kick straight through to City wall but the Sky Blues keeper was in the right place to make a comfortable save.
City grabbed an easy second on 33 minutes but the Reds only had themselves to blame as Marcus Hall was given all the time in the world to cross from the left wing and gave Mifsud a simple tap in six yards out.
Barnsley were ragged and Colgan almost gifted City a third on 34 minutes as he let Michael Doyle's shot squirm through his hands but managed to recover before it crossed the line.
Mifsud's pace caused havoc again on 36 minutes as the striker left Reid, Togwell and Paul Heckingbottom in his wake before laying the ball through to Adebola but Colgan was well-placed to make the save.
Things went from bad to worse on 38 minutes as again Mifsud took on the Barnsley defence at will before finding a simple pass to put Adebola clean through on goal. This time the big striker did not miss and he hammered the ball past Colgan from 12 yards.
Barnsley looked leggy, lethargic and paid the price for Wednesday's all-action display at Plymouth Argyle although Rajczi did well on 47 minutes to find a pass through the City defence to send Ferenczi clear but the big striker could only hit the side netting under pressure.
City grabbed a fourth on 50 minutes as again Adebola dragged Reid all over the park as the pair chased a long ball forward before getting goalside and smashing the ball past Colgan from 18 yards.
The Reds struggled to get any real momentum going forward although Ferenczi managed to carve open a chance for himself on the hour mark but could only bring a save from Marshall from ten yards.
Mifsud really should have added a fifth on 77 minutes as he embarrassed Reid in a race to Marshall's long kick but Colgan was quickly off his line to make an outstanding block.
Barnsley finally fashioned a chance on 79 minutes as Togwell found substitute Kyel Reid in space but the winger could only shoot straight at Marshall. The Reds did get a goal back from Daniel Nardiello's resulting corner as Bobby Hassell stole in to head into the back of the net from ten yards.
Coventry were still dangerous even though they had taken their foot off the gas and Leon McKenzie brought a save from Colgan on 85 minutes after cutting in from the left flank.
COVENTRY CITY: Marshall, Hall, Ward, Hughes, Doyle, Adebola, Osbourne (Birchall 72), Mifsud (Cameron 85), Hawkins, Tabb (McKenzie 76), Virgo.
Subs: Steele, Page.
BARNSLEY: Colgan, Heckingbottom, Reid, Nyatanga, Togwell, Ferenczi, Howard (Nardiello 59), Rajczi, Austin (Hassell 52), Devaney (K. Reid 52), McCann.
Subs: Lucas, Eckersley.
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