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 79^th 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 32^nd 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.