Barnsley 1 Coventry City 4

Last updated : 11 August 2007 By Footymad Previewer
Coventry City, many people's outside bet for a play-off place this season, cruised to an emphatic away win over new-look Barnsley at Oakwell.

The Sky Blues sizzled in the Oakwell sunshine, rattling in three second-half goals to register all three points.

And the 4-1 margin could have been much bigger as Coventry created a number of other scoring chances.

Barnsley struggled in the Championship last season but boss Simon Davey produced a major overhaul of his squad, with his number of summer signings going into double figures.

Five of the fresh faces were in his starting line-up but it was Coventry that got off to a dream start with a sixth-minute opener.

Skipper Michael Doyle delivered a terrific free-kick from the right and striker Leon McKenzie got in behind the Barnsley defence to plant a powerful header past Nick Colgan.

But Barnsley were level just three minutes later when Coventry striker Kevin Kyle, coming back to help his defence from a Barnsley free-kick, was adjudged to have handled in the box.

Brian Howard scored with a cheeky spot-kick, chipping into the net as Coventry keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos went the wrong way.

The rest of the first half was relatively even, although Coventry looked dangerous every time an aerial ball was delivered into the Barnsley box.

Kevin Kyle twice should have done better with clear headers but could only find the midriff of Colgan.

At the other end Barnsley's best chance came from a Martin Devaney cross in the 35th minute as Hungarian striker Istvan Ferenczi conjured up a diving header that Konstantopoulos did well to deal with low down.

But Coventry got their noses back in front just five minutes into the second period, and it was striker Kyle who finally made his physical presence felt, guiding home a delightful header from Jay Tabb's accurate right-wing cross.

It was 3-1 on 66 minutes when more good work from Tabb picked out Julian Gray wide on the left and the Barnsley defence opened up far too easily as Gray cut inside and lashed a right-foot shot high into the net.

Barnsley's belief began to flood away and Coventry had chances to stretch their lead still further, with Colgan making two fine saves from substitute Michael Mifsud and the lively Tabb.

Three minutes from time good work by Barnsley substitute Kayode Odejayi set up Rohan Ricketts just inside the box but his effort was comfortably saved.

And it was Coventry that deservedly had the final word in stoppage time when the pace of Mifsud took him clear of the Barnsley defence and the finish matched the approach play, a low side-footed effort going beyond Colgan and into the far corner of the net.