Coventry City gave their survival hopes a huge boost as they staged a second half turnaround to deepen the U's woes.

On a miserable afternoon for the home side, the Sky Blues ran away with the game in the second half to move away from the danger zone.

What's more, their 5-1 victory gave their goal difference a crucial boost as the season winds to a dramatic close - and with every point a premium at this stage of the season, the additional goals are worth almost another on top of the three for winning the game.

The U's made one change to the starting line-up that had begun the game against Leicester a week earlier, as Bela Balogh replaced the injured Matt Heath.

The game started off with a fine atmosphere as the City fans tried to get behind their team as they tried to help them clear of trouble.

And that support was almost immediately rewarded as Michael Mifsud made the most of a lapse at the back to escape down the right and drive a shot fiercely across the face of goal.

Indeed, City started brightly, showing little sign of the nerves you might expect of a team struggling just above the drop zone coming into the game.

The U's didn't get their first sight of goal until eight minutes in when Lisbie charged down a Fox clearance on the edge of the box and sent over a low cross, which worked its way across the area via a series of headers before eventually going for a corner.

It was a rare foray forward though, as the U's found themselves half a yard off the pace in the early stages with City moving the ball around nicely.

Gerken had to be sharply off his line on 11 minutes to get to the feet of Mifsud after Balogh's misjudged header had almost flicked the striker through into the area.

Having been under the cosh for the first seventeen minutes, the U's took the lead with their first real attempt on goal.

From a Coyne ball forward, Lisbie escaped the offside trap and although Schmeichel did well to stand up and block the forward's shot, it went into the path of Vernon who, despite the attentions of a City defender, couldn't miss from less than six yards out.

The goal knocked City out of their stride a little, and got the U's up and running. In fairness, the Sky Blues were stringing the ball around well, but then making mistakes when going for the killer ball up front.

One of the intriguing battles of the afternoon was between White and Mifsud, with the City players keen to pick out their dangerman with diagonals. In the first half hour, it was the U's man having the better of the duel.

And he was having to, as the Sky Blues continued to press - although the U's were keeping it tight as the visitors looked for a way to unlock the door.

City almost found that bit of magic on 39 minutes as Dann drove a shot in from close range, which Gerken half blocked and Vernon hooked clear off the line as it seemed destined to go in.

Vernon was then in the thick of the action at the other end as Lisbie flicked it onto Duguid who tried to help it into the path of the goal saver, but it was snaffled up by Schmeichel.

The visitors were in again on 42 minutes as the ball found Tabb at the far post, but his fierce shot was well stopped by Gerken who flung himself low to get his body behind the ball.

The U's almost added a second as Lisbie was sent away through the middle and twisted past the first challenge before trying to poke home with the outside of his foot. However, by the time he tried to get his shot away, Schmeichel was upon him and the keeper blocked well.

And, as the half finished in lively fashion, the U's again went close as a well crafted move saw the ball crossed to the far post, where Elito rushed onto it and smacked in a left footed half volley which fizzed wide of the upright.

The half finished with the U's a goal ahead, but that advantage lasted only XX minutes after the restart.

The ball was played into the box to the feet of Best and the striker didn't get a full connection on his shot, but Gerken agonisingly let the ball slip between his hands and his legs and into the back of the net.

The visitors almost grabbed a second almost immediately. Mifsud was first denied by White but then found a path to goal and his shot deflected off Coyne and just wide of the upright.

However, they didn't have to wait for long as they scored with an absolute peach. The ball was not fully cleared from a corner and Fox stepped onto it to curl home a brilliant effort into the top corner.

The game was now in full flow and Vernon was next to get a sight of goal from a similar position that he had scored against Ipswich. This time the ball popped up more, and he pulled his effort wide of the target.

Vernon came close again two minutes later, his shot blocked by two players and Hammond's follow-up was also well defended by City defenders who knew what was at stake in the final 40 minutes.

Jackson then tried his luck fifteen minutes into the second half, stepping onto the ball thirty yards from goal and firing in a left footed effort that Schmeichel spilt and was relieved to see it not go beyond him.

And, like Fox's earlier goal, the U's went close on 68 minutes as Duguid crashed one off the underside of the bar - but the flag had long gone up for offside earlier in the move.

The U's decided to go on the attack for the final twenty minutes of the game, introducing McLeod for White down the left hand side.

The next chance came from the other flank though as the ball was crossed from the right and Lisbie struck a first time instinctive volley which, unfortunately for him, went straight at the keeper, who held well.

Lisbie then set up strike partner Vernon who, from distance, rattled in a shot which again was straight at Schmeichel, who made no mistake with his handling.

At the other end, though, the U's gave away a penalty as Mifsud was deemed to have been tripped by Duguid, who had been moved to left back as a result of the U's earlier substitution.

Ward made no mistake as he stepped up and drilled home the penalty for his second spot kick in successive games, havingnetted last week against Stoke.

And the points were secured just two minutes later as Mifsud again outwitted the U's captain to cut the ball back across goal. Tabb's first shot was blocked on the line, before Doyle followed up to smash the ball home.

The U's skipper tried to make amends as he drove in a shot from distance that went narrowly wide on 84 minutes but it was a game that going badly wrong for the home side in the latter stages.

They almost got one back on 88 minutes as Lisbie again sprung the offside trap to bear down on Schmeichel. He kept his composure to slot the ball past the keeper but saw it come back off the woodwork.

As the extra time was being shown by the referee, McLeod drove in a low shot that the keeper saved well.

But it went wrong again as the U's again struggled to clear the ball deep in injury time and substitute Hines wove his way through the defence before being tripped. Again Ward made no mistake with his spot kick to make it 5-1.

The City fans who had been calling for boss Coleman to sort it out at half time had been given a very definitive answer after the break.

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