Coventry City 6 - 0 Bury

[dutchman]

[dutchman]

Andy Turner analyses an unforgettable afternoon as the Sky Blues put the Shakers to the sword



Coventry City marked Legends Day by chalking up The Old Five and adding one for good measure in their biggest win of the season.

As against Gillingham in November the Sky Blues were four goals clear at the interval – and this time there was no anti-climax as Adam Armstrong helped himself to a trademark double.

Romain Vincelot returned from his suspension while Joe Cole was recalled as Tony Mowbray reverted to his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation after last weekend’s containing tactics at Port Vale and was rewarded with a brilliant start that produced a breakthrough inside four minutes.

Ian Lawlor rescued his side with a sharp save as Armstrong ran on to Murphy’s clever through-ball but the reprieve was momentary as Cole curled in the corner and the unmarked Stokes volleyed home from 12 yards.

City soon had their two-goal cushion as Cole’s waist-high free-kick from the left bobbled through to Cargill who swept home from the six-yard line.

Maddison was getting some rough treatment from the Bury defence but it backfired on the visitors in the 16th minute as he was clattered by Etuhu 30 yards out and the Norwich-bound midfielder collected Fleck’s quick free-kick to beat his marker, run through and steer a low shot past Lawlor from the edge of the box.

Although City’s play, inevitably, had lost some of its early intensity they made it 4-0 three minutes before the break as unleashed a 35-yard shot that was well directed but shouldn’t really have beaten Lawlor from that range.

Armstrong was clearly desperate to add his name to the scoresheet but saw a thumping shot charged down when the referee played advantage following yet another heavy challenge on Maddison.

Three minutes later, however, it was the Newcastle teenager who brought up The Old Five, taking Cole’s neat pass in his stride to cut in from the left and fire right-footed into Lawlor’s bottom corner.

The fans rose in a standing ovation in the 87th minute as pictures of Jimmy Hill appeared on the big screen followed by a rousing chorus of the Sky Blue Song.

And although some left early to beat the traffic the majority stayed on to pay tribute to a truly exhilarating performance.

Attendance: 11,024 (389 away).