The 2007/08 season began in spectacular fashion as the Sky Blues ran riot against Barnsley at Oakwell.
Goals from Leon McKenzie, Kevin Kyle, new signing Julian Gray and substitute Michael Mifsud gave Iain Dowie's a deserved victory over the Tykes, who replied through a Brian Howard penalty.
The visitors had made all the early running when McKenzie met skipper Michael Doyle's pinpoint free-kick with a powerful header which left Barnsley goalkeeper Nick Colgan helpless as it flew into the back of the net in the sixth minute.
But the lead lasted just two minutes as the home side were awarded a penalty when Kyle handled in the penalty area. Midfielder Howard stepped up and cockily dispatched the spot-kick, chipping it down the centre as Dimi Konstantopoulos dived to his right.
The Sky Blues had two chances to go ahead not long after being pegged back but Kyle headed Gary Borrowdale's excellent cross straight at Colgan while Elliott Ward's towering header was deflected wide for a corner.
It took until the 34th minute until another meaningful effort on goal and it came from Barnsley's Istvan Ferenczi who produced a good save from Konstantopoulos with a downward header from a Martin Devaney cross.
The Tykes went close to beating the City 'keeper just before the break, but Howard's shot was well blocked by Marcus Hall.
But the second period began in similar fashion to the first - with a goal.
Jay Tabb exchanged passes with McKenzie on the right before crossing for Kyle to send a powerful header beyond Colgan from 10-yards.
The big Scot was posing a major threat to the home defence and almost added another shortly after but Colgan dived at his feet to block from a tight angle.
But he was helpless to stop Gray adding a third goal in the 65th minute. The City winger latched onto a pass from Tabb inside the area, danced inside his man before lashing a thunderous effort into the top corner with his unfavoured right foot.
City were running riot and McKenzie should have scored again shortly after when he elected to shoot straight at Colgan rather than pass to an unmarked Kyle.
Dowie freshened up his striking duo in the 72nd minute when Leon Best and Michael Mifsud replaced goalscorers Kyle and McKenzie and immediately set about adding their names to the scoresheet.
A precise through-ball from Michael Hughes set Mifsud through on goal but the Maltese international shot straight at Colgan with the goal at his mercy.
Tabb had better luck though when his angled drive left the 'keeper with no chance before drifting narrowly wide of the post with 12 minutes left on the clock before a curling effort from Best sailed off target.
Konstantopoulos was forced into a rare save three minutes from the end when he got down to stop a toe-poke from Rohan Ricketts.
But Mifsud put the icing on a superb second-half performance in stoppage-time when he fired a low shot into the bottom corner after being played in by the influential Tabb.
Coventry: Konstantopoulos: Osbourne, Ward, Hall, Borrowdale; Tabb, M Hughes (S Hughes, 81), Doyle (c), Gray; McKenzie (Best, 73), Kyle (Mifsud, 73). Subs (Not Used): Marshall; Hawkins.
Barnsley: Colgan; Kozluk, Reid (c), Nyatanga, Souza (Werling, 73); Ricketts, Howard, Johnson (Togwell, 73), Devaney; Mostto (Odejayi, 60), Ferenczi. Subs (Not Used): Letheren; McCann
Bookings: Osbourne, Mifsud (Coventry)
