Sky Blues pick apart Pool with second half goal-fest at Victoria Park
Coventry City went goal crazy in a blistering second half as the downed Hartlepool United in stunning fashion at Victoria Park.
After a goalless first half, the Sky Blues registered their first league five-goal haul since April 2008 as a brace from Carl Baker, a David McGoldrick penalty and strikes from Franck Moussa and substitue Adam Barton sent City up to 16th in League One table.
City boss Mark Robins made three changes to his starting line-up, bringing in Gary McSheffrey and Franck Moussa alongside new loan signing Blair Adams' to make his full first team debut for the Sky Blues.
It was Adams who caused a scare in the Pools' area after just five minutes when he went bombing down the left on the overlap and received a ball from Moussa before whipping in a low cross for McSheffrey whose effort was blocked for a corner.
Scott Flinders was then required in the home goal when, from the resulting corner, Moussa controlled the ball 12 yards out and shot on the turn but could not beat the 'keeper.
Hartlepool very near found an opener of their own a minute later though when Ryan Noble worked his way across the City area before firing a shot at Joe Murphy who parried the initial shot and then pulled off a good save to deny Noble's follow-up effort.
That was the start of a quick flurry of dangerous efforts on goal for the hosts who, over the next minute, saw Anthony Sweeney force a near post save from Murphy and Noble pull a shot just wide of the far post from an acute angle.
The Sky Blues came even closer to scoring after 12 minutes though when a corner delivery from Carl Baker found William Edjenguele at the back of the area. The centre-half's shot headed goalwards but Flinders was on hand to stop the ball on the line with McSheffrey and David McGoldrick trying frantically to poke the ball over.
Flinders was required again four minutes later when a 20-yard effort from Moussa took a slight deflection, forcing the Pools 'keeper to adjust his position and parry the ball away.
The fast-paced nature of the game soon died down though as both sides became embroiled in a scrappy midfield battle which was only brought to an end by McGoldrick's half volley at goal which Flinders got behind after 33 minutes.
It was McGoldrick again five minutes before half time when a deep corner from Baker found Richard Wood to head back across the box to the striker whose overhead kick was headed off the line by Sam Collins.
Th City striker then capped off a reasonably dominant first half for City with a 25-yard strike which the Pools 'keeper had little problem dealing with.
The Sky Blues got the goal they deserved five minutes after the restart though through a fine strike from Baker.
The midfielder received a ball in the heart of the final third from McGoldrick and took two touches before firing at goal and watching his effort beat Flinders at his near post, the ball hitting the foot of the post before rolling over the line.
There could have been another two minutes later when Christie did well to get to the byline and cut back for Moussa whose first time effort went over the bar.
It was 2-0 on 57 minutes though, thanks in part to Moussa who picked up a ball from Adams and burst into the box, his shot hitting Ritchie Humphries' hand leaving referee Andy D'Urso to point to the spot.
McGoldrick then stepped up to dispatch the spot kick and send Flinders the wrong way for his 12th goal of the season.
The frantic nature of the reporting of goals is only matched by the frequency of them in such a short space of time as City found themselves three goals up just two minutes later.
Adams whipped in a low cross which found Baker at the back post to slot home a simple finish and send the City fans behind the goal into a frenzy.
Moussa then went close with 20 minutes to go with a bursting run from midfield which finished with a shot from the edge of the area, Flinders getting his fingertips to the effort to direct it onto the post and away for a corner.
The City midfielder did get the goal he deserved on 74 minutes when the Sky Blues broke away six-on-three leaving Baker to slot his central partner in for a confident finish past Flinders into the bottom far corner.
Boss Robins marked the fourth by replacing James Bailey with Barton.
Barton marked his introduction by netting City's fifth just 30 seconds after walking on the pitch with his first touch.
Blair sent another stinging left-sided delivery which found Baker by the penalty spot, his touch placing the ball into the path of Barton who smashed home past Flinders to put the cherry on a memorable afternoon for City.
Attendance: 4,404 (519 Sky Blue Army)
Teams
CoventryCity: Murphy (GK), Christie (Clarke 88), Adams, Wood, Edjenguele, Baker (c), Bailey (Barton 76), Jennings, (O'Donovan 83), Moussa, McSheffrey
Subs: Dunn (GK), Cameron, McDonald, Ball,
Hartlepool United: Flinders (GK), Austin, Collins, Hartley (c), Holden, Sweeney, Murray (Monkhouse 66), Humphreys (Walton 66), Poole (Wyke 76), Noble, Franks
Subs: Foden (GK), Luscombe, Baldwin, Richards
Bookings: McSheffrey (COV)
Referee: A D'Urso
AssistantReferees: S Stockbridge, D Markham
FourthOfficial: D McCallum