HARTLEPOOL UNITED 0-5 COVENTRY CITY
City; Murphy, Baker, McSheffrey, Jennings, Christie (Clarke 88), Wood, Edjenguele, McGoldrick (O'Donovan 83), Moussa, Bailey (Barton 76), Adams. Subs: Cameron, McDonald, Dunn, Ball
Hartlepool: Linders, Austin, Collins, Hartley, Holden, Murray (Monkhouse 65), Humphreys (Baldwin 65), Sweeney, Poole (Wyke 76), Franks, Noble Subs: Foden, Richards, Walton, Luscombe.
HT HUFC 0-0 CCFC FT HUFC 0-5 CCFC
Goals Carl Baker 51 & 58, David McGoldrick 56 pen, Franck Moussa 75, Adam Barton 77
ATT 4404 Referee A.D'Urso Booked None
Man Of The Match Carl Baker
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In the past, a rock bottom side have caused Coventry City problems but today, a super second half showing saw the Sky Blues stick five goals past under new management Hartlepool United.
Hartlepool might know a thing or two about dealing with monkey's but their admission price of £25 was not peanuts and combined with the travel costs to a ground some 180 miles north east of Coventry, stopped the Sky Blue Army being stronger in numbers.
There was still a good turn out from City supporters from Ireland, London, Kent, Gloucestershire, as well some of our Northern support in Victoria Park which is a small but well appointed ground with friendly fans and bars in the ground which welcomed away fans.
For this game, Mark Robins had drafted in left back Blair Adams from Sunderland and he started in a City team which saw Gary McSheffrey and Franck Moussa in the starting line up.
In the fifth minute, Gary McSheffrey should have put City ahead when his shot hit the keepers legs and went out for a corner.
John Hughes side replied with Murphy making three saves and Ryan Noble firing wide and saw some of the City support urging the defence to sort themselves out.
A 12th minute City corner hit the post and three minutes later Baker had a twenty yarder pushed away by the home keeper.
Gary McSheffrey got in a header on goal in the 27th minute and six minutes later David McGoldrick shot on the turn at Flinders.
A City corner in the 35th minute bypassed everyone against a Hartlepool team whose players were clearly trying to impress their new coach and did not look like a team that had not won for 13 games.
As the seagulls circled overhead, McGoldrick and Christie gave Flinders some more catching practice before Christie, who was causing no end of problems down the right, won a 44th minute corner which Bailey headed at the one time Palace reserve team keeper.
It had not been a good first half for the Sky Blues but in the second half, it all changed.
Six minutes in and City, with Blair Adams looking comfortable at right back, took the lead when Carl Baker, who had been busy all afternoon, ran through and hit a 20 yarder off the post and in off Flinders.
Five minutes later, there was a blatant handball by Humphreys and Referee Mr D'Urso, who had a fine game, awarded a penalty which David McGoldrick easily scored from, to become the first City player since Clarrie Bourton to score in five consecutive away games.
The City support were going mental and in the 58th minute, a great finish from Carl Baker from the right of the area made it three, bringing huge smiles in the away end amongst the City support who were taunting the home club that they might have been better to have appointed Phil Brown, rather than Hughes who was stood staring scornfully at the City fans.
The home side put their own fans behind the goal at the far end in trouble before Moussa, who worked hard, had a 70th minute shot deflected for a corner.
Five minutes later, Franck Moussa got the goal his perseverance deserved when he stole in from the right and slipped the ball past the hapless Flinders for City's fourth.
Adam Barton was sent on and with his first touch he made it 5-0 when he finished off a cut back from sixteen yards in the 78th minute.
Roy O'Donovan came on for the final seven minutes and against one of his former clubs, curled one round the post.
Jordan Clarke, also joined in the action before the 519 City fans and the players could celebrate a job very well done.