Clean sheet good for starters

THE start of the season is full of hope and promise for the future.

At Oakwell on Saturday at 3pm the optimism was well founded. A sun-baked day, a new kit and a good attendance boded well. But by the end of the match the glimpse of a promising things to come looked distant with the fans leaving in their droves.

The almost brand new team assembled under the guidance of manager Simon Davey looked a demoralized outfit who had been out fought, out played and out battled on their home patch.

For an hour Barnsley matched a Coventry side who had a good blend and balance and made them look quite ordinary for a side that have hopes of challenging for the Premiership.

But when they went behind a second time shortly after half time the white flag of surrender came out and Coventry went on to win at a canter.

Losing is one thing but the manner of defeat will be a major discussion point among the Barnsley faithful who are still hoping that a new broom will sweep away the cobwebs off the past and move the club in a forwards direction. After Saturday the jury is well and truly out after a lack luster performance.

A manager is judged on his buying and selling and on this performance Barnsley are looking at a struggle at the wrong end of the table.

The hope that a radical overhaul of staff will transform the fortunes of the club and that players can gel together in a short period of time look distant.

One game is not enough to pass a considered judgment on a side but the multi cultural and multi national assembled side need to be speaking the same language of football.

At times they appeared to be talking double dutch but when you have a Hungarian, Brazilian, Peruvian and a German who came on as sub in the side they all need to be singing from the same hymn sheet.

Hopefully, as they get to know each other more the universal language of football will prevail. At the moment they are all over the place. Barnsley boss Davey spoke in his programme notes about set pieces and players taking responsibility within the team. Unfortunately set pieces appear to be a problem all through the game and the first goal came as a result of poor marking from a free kick.

Davey talked about the lads being physically fitter than at any stage in their careers but he will be hoping that the mental scars are not deep rooted and last for long after this result.

The mental and physical capabilities are very different and were much in evidence on Saturday, Barnsley have ability but do they have attitude, only time will tell.

After Barnsley midfielder Brian Howard had equalised Leon McKenzie's opener Coventry struck three times in a one-sided second period to ensure a winning start to the campaign.

Barnsley defender Dennis Souza gave away a foul wide on the right and Michael Doyle's floated free-kick found McKenzie completely unmarked at the far post and he thumped his header beyond Nick Colgan.

But the home side responded instantly and were level in their next attack with McKenzie again at the heart of the action.

Rob Kozluk's deep free-kick was heading for the head of striker Istvan Ferenczi until McKenzie's outstretched hand diverted the ball away and referee Scott Mathieson had no hesitation in awarding the penalty.

Howard stepped up and confidently gave Coventry's debutant goalkeeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos no chance.

But it the visitors who continued to threaten and another fine cross by Doyle found Elliott Ward in the penalty area but his goal-bound header was well blocked by the sprawling Lewin Nyatanga.

Gray then whistled a strike narrowly wide before Ferenczi called Konstantopoulos into action with a decent header which the Greek keeper comfortably held.

Coventry took just five minutes of the second half to go back ahead through a thunderous header from Kyle.

Jay Tabb whipped in a sublime ball from the right which completely cut out Colgan and left Kevin Kyle with the simplest of tasks to smash the header into the roof of the net.

It was the former Sunderland man's first goal since February but he showed just why he has only scored 16 league goals in his career with a terrible miss just four minutes later.

Again Doyle was the architect from a dead ball and his brilliant delivery left Kyle with a seemingly simple second but this time he could only head tamely into Colgan's hands.

But the miss proved inconsequential as Coventry were now in total control and increased their lead in the 65th minute through a fine debut goal from Gray.

Tabb was again integral and after his twisting run left Kozluk on his backside he switched the ball out to Gray on the left and the former Crystal Palace man swept home effortlessly from the edge of the box.

And the former Brentford midfielder made it a hat-trick of assists in stoppage time when his pinpoint through ball picked out substitute Mifsud in space and the Maltese drove powerfully across Colgan to wrap up a comprehensive win.

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