Leon Best scored two and had a hand in the others as the Sky Blues returned to winning ways in style against Barnsley at the Ricoh Arena.

The striker, starting his first game since handing in a transfer request last month, turned in a virtuoso display as Iain Dowie's men recorded their first win in the Championship in 2008 and their first clean-sheet since October.

Best broke open the deadlock in the 37^th minute to hand City a deserved opener, firing an unstoppable drive into the far corner from 12-yards.

He then turned provider in the second-half, crossing for Julian Gray to apply the finish at the back post.

Jay Tabb added a third after more good work from Best, who grabbed his second with six minutes left with a neat finish.

City were always in control against the mid-table Tykes and could have gone ahead even earlier had timely blocks not foiled Michael Mifsud and Best.

Best went agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock in the 13^th minute when he beat Barnsley keeper Tony Warner to a Gray cross but headed narrowly over.

However, after the visitors had repelled a number of attacks, Best arrowed a vicious right-footed shot into the far corner which left Warner rooted to the spot.

Gray almost doubled the home side's advantage moments before the half-time whistle but Warner fumbled his cross-cum-shot behind.

The experience custodian, a transfer deadline day signing from Fulham, then almost carried the ball into his own net under pressure from Elliott Ward at the start of the second-half.

The second arrived in the 70^th minute when the Barnsley defence failed to cut out Best's teasing low cross and Gray was on hand to tuck the ball into the net at the back-post.

Best was again heavily involved five minute later as he headed substitute Robbie Simpson's cross against the crossbar, but Tabb raced in to nod the rebound into an empty net.

The striker finally got the second goal he deserved soon after as he cleverly brought the ball down at the back-post, powered past his marker and fired low into the far corner.

And he almost capped a fine afternoon with a hat-trick in the final moments, but was ruled offside as he tucked the ball home from close-range.