Coventry 4 Barnsley 1 - 17/03/2007

Coventry 4 Barnsley 1 - 17/03/2007

Coventry City: Andy Marshall, Adam Virgo, Colin Hawkins, Elliott Ward, Marcus Hall, Isaac Osbourne (Christopher Birchall 72), Stephen Hughes, Michael Doyle, Jay Tabb (Leon McKenzie 76), Michael Mifsud (Colin Cameron 86), Dele Adebola
Subs not used: Robert Page, Luke Steele
Goals: Tabb 27, Mifsud 32, Adebola 38, Adebola 50

Barnsley: Istvan Ferenczi, Grant McCann, Neil Austin (Bobby Hassell 52), Paul Reid, Nick Colgan, Sam Togwell, Martin Devaney (Kyle Reid 52), Paul Heckingbottom, Peter Rajczi, Lewin Nyatanga, Brian Howard (Daniel Nardiello 59)
Subs not used: David Lucas, Adam Eckersley
Booked: Peter Rajczi 90
Goals: Hassell 79

Attendance: 21609
Referee: M Russell

Teamtalk
Coventry recorded their biggest win under Iain Dowie as Barnsley slipped back towards the drop zone with a 4-1 defeat at the Ricoh Arena.

Managing director Paul Fletcher used a wedding analogy to give an update on the proposed takeover at the club this week in which he said: "We are up the aisle and at the alter but we have yet to exchange vows."

But as far as things go on the pitch, the honeymoon continued for Dowie as he saw his side stretch their unbeaten run to six matches.

Jay Tabb took advantage of the time and space afforded to him by the Barnsley backline by opening the scoring from just outside the box in the 27th minute.

The free summer signing from League One side Brentford had failed to find the net prior to Dowie's arrival but this was his second in six games under the new boss.

Five minutes later City doubled their lead when Michael Mifsud, who was so impressive in the 2-1 win against Midlands rivals Wolves in midweek, grabbed his first goal for the club.

Marcus Hall broke free down the left and cut the ball back from the byline for the Malta international to steer home from close range.

Mifsud then turned provider by crossing from the right of the area for Dele Adebola to drill into the roof of the net from 12 yards.

Adebola grabbed his second of the game five minutes into the second half when, following a long punt forward from Colin Hawkins, the Nigerian out-muscled two Barnsley defenders to get into a position where he was able to notch his ninth goal of the season.

Bobby Hassell headed home Daniel Nardiello's cross in the 79th-minute but it was mere consolation for the Tykes.

Isaac Osbourne tested Barnsley goalkeeper Nick Colgan early on with a shot from the edge of the area before Mifsud hit the crossbar with a curling left-footed effort in the 12th-minute.

Barnsley responded immediately by hitting the crossbar themselves through Sam Togwell's 18-yard shot.

Coventry hit their hosts with three goals in a devastating 11-minute spell prior to the break before Adebola compounded Barnsley's misery after the restart.

Barnsley boss Simon Davey immediately made a double substitution bringing on Kyel Reid and Bobby Hassell for Martin Devaney and Neil Austin before making his final change just before the hour when top scorer Brian Howard was replaced by Nardiello.

In between the Tykes had Colgan to thank for keeping the score respectable when he blocked a fiercely-struck shot from Michael Doyle.

At the other end Andy Marshall produced a fine one-handed save to tip Istvan Ferenczi's shot around the post when he was called into action for the first time in the 61st-minute.

There was little Marshall could do to keep out Hassell's header but no dramatic comeback was forthcoming and Coventry completed the league double over the Tykes.

CCFC
A scintillating first-half display inspired the Sky Blues to their biggest win of the season against struggling Barnsley at the Ricoh Arena.

Strikes from Jay Tabb, Michael Mifsud and Dele Adebola - all in an eleven minute spell - set Iain Dowie's men on course for a sixth unbeaten outing before Adebola sealed the Tykes fate with a fourth goal after the break.

Substitute Bobby Hassell rescued some pride for Simon Davey's visitors with a 79th minute header, but by then the damage had already been done.

Boss Dowie named an unchanged side to the one which beat Wolves in midweek with Mifsud again given a chance to impress despite the return from injury of Leon McKenzie, who settled for a place on the bench.

The diminutive Maltese international immediately set about making an impact as he fired against the inside of both posts before the ball bounced fortuitously into the arms of a relieved Nick Colgan with the game only 12 minutes old.

Then, just seconds later, Sam Togwell's fierce drive from 25-yards cannoned off the top of the crossbar for the Tykes with Marshall beaten.

Mifsud again stung the fingers of Colgan with a low shot as City continued to press and their reward arrived on the half-hour when Tabb's snap-shot found its way into the net from 12-yards despite a strong hand from Colgan.

Mifsud was proving a persistent nuisance to the Barnsley backline as he searched for his first goal at the Ricoh Arena, which duly arrived in the 32nd minute.

The ball found its way out to Marcus Hall on the City left and the reliable full-back crossed perfectly for Mifsud to volley home from close-range.

And with the Tykes still reeling from that, yet more incisive attacking play led to a third goal five minutes later.

Isaac Osbourne's superb threaded pass set Mifsud free down the right flank and he squared for Adebola to send a powerful shot into the top corner.

Adebola started the second-half in the same way he finished the first - by grabbing another goal.

This time, it was all his own work as he bustled his way through three Barnsley defenders before poking the ball into the roof of the net.

Colgan beat away a goal-bound volley from Michael Doyle shortly after, while on the hour, Marshall was forced into his first notable save of the match - diving to his right to turn away Istvan Ferenczi's angled drive.

The City 'keeper was then alert to deny substitute Kyel Reid from the edge of the box, but from the resulting corner, Hassell glanced in Danny Nardiello's corner.

But it was too little too late for the Tykes as Iain Dowie's men marched to their sixth match without defeat and their fourth successive victory at the Ricoh.

4thegame
Dele Adebola grabbed two goals to stretch Coventry City's unbeaten record under Iain Dowie to six matches and ensure Barnsley's first visit to the Ricoh Arena ended in misery.

After a low-key start, Coventry should have taken the lead in the 12th minute when Michael Mifsud outpaced Barnsley skipper Paul Reid inside the box only to watch his shot hit the left and then right post.

The visitors responded with an excellent chance when Sam Togwell's drive from 20 yards clipped the bar.

Mifsud had two further chances when his close-range shot from Adebola's cross was blocked by right-back Neil Austin and he then again outpaced Reid only to fire a shot high into the crowd.

The hosts finally made their superiority count when they took the lead in the 27th minute.

Colin Hawkins knocked the ball into the path of Jay Tabb and his powerful 20-yard shot ended up in the roof of the net despite keeper Nick Colgan's best efforts.

Coventry extended their lead five minutes later when Stephen Hughes teed up Marcus Hall and the left-back's centre was driven home from six yards by Mifsud.

Barnsley conceded a third goal in the 38th minute when Isaac Osbourne found Mifsud in space on the right and his cross was driven high into the net by forward partner Adebola.

Coventry didn't sit back after the break and notched a fourth goal five minutes after the break.

Adebola raced on to a long skied clearance from Hawkins and out-muscled Reid before firing home his ninth goal of the season with a ten-yard strike.

Simon Davey's men finally beat Coventry's defence in the 79th minute when Coventry-born Daniel Nardiello's corner from the left was headed over the line by Bobby Hassell.