Pask stretchered off as Sky Blues out-classedCoventry City slipped to yet another away day defeat as their relegation battle continues following disappointment at AFC Bournemouth.
The Sky Blues conceded their first goal in just 24 seconds from the kick-off when Arnaut Danjuma was sprung free in the box, and despite pulling back on level terms from a stunning Matty James free-kick two minutes later, they conceded a second before the break when the lethal Cherries’ forward doubled his tally.
The home side bossed the ball and looked a class apart at times, showing incredible movement to pass their way through City’s defence with power and pace.
And it was Danjuma who sparked a third goal after the break to secure the home victory 20 minutes from time, beating his man down the left and sending in a cross for David Brooks to score before Dominic Solanke added a fourth, assisted by substitute Ben Pearson in 12 minutes of added time on another costly afternoon in terms of injuries after Josh Pask was stretchered off early in the second half.
City got off to the worst possible start, losing possession from the kick-off and conceding with just seconds on the clock.
Liam Kelly was shoved off the ball in midfield and the Cherries spread the ball out wide to the right before it was sent back into the middle where Arnaut Danjuma controlled as Josh Pask attempted to slide in, and the forward slotted home past the exposed Marko Marosi.
But fair play to the Sky Blues, they got themselves straight back in the game when Callum O'Hare was brought down just outside the box, leaving Matty James to curl an inch perfect free-kick over the wall and inside Asmir Begovic’s right-hand post.
And it was clear that if Coventry were to get anything from the game they’d have to be at their maximum for the remainder as the outstanding wide men Danjuma and David Brooks sent further warning shots narrowly wide.
City caused problems from Sam McCallum’s long throw on the 21 minute mark when Matty Godden had a shot cut out at the last second for a corner in a first half when the visitors had to work extremely hard out of possession as the home side enjoyed 75 per cent of the ball.
And it wasn’t long before Jonathan Woodgate’s men restored their lead. Marosi dropped down to make a decent save to deny Brooks but a minute later in the 28th, Danjuma played a one/two in the box to get past Josh Pask and somehow squeezed the ball past the keeper at his near post – a goal Marosi won’t want to see back in a hurry.
Mark Robins’s men did reasonably well trying to contain the Cherries to the break, after which Pask was stretchered off ten minutes into the second half when he came out worse in an aerial challenge with Philip Billing after the centre-back had gone up to support a set-piece attack.
With senior centre-backs Michael Rose and Dom Hyam sidelined with injury and illness, that left development defender Jordon Thompson to be thrown in for only his second appearance at the level.
Tyler Walker turned nicely on 67 minutes and hit a shot wide of the target as City attempted to get themselves back in the game but Bournemouth wrapped things up two minutes later when star man Danjuma skinned Thompson down the left and sent in a deep cross to Brooks who slotted home at the far post with McCallum unable to get close enough to the forward.
Substitute Pearson sparked a fourth goal as the game entered added time for the ten minutes Pask was treated on the pitch, the midfielder hitting a powerful shot that took a defection off Solanke to wrap up a thoroughly miserable afternoon for the Sky Blues.