Coventry City 3 Barnsley 0: We were bullied, blasts Robins

The team's coach was held up on the M1 by an accident which meant the Tykes failed to reach the Ricoh Arena until just 30 minutes before kick-off.

Gary McSheffrey struck after nine minutes but the Sky Blues did not put the game to bed until five minutes from the end when substitutes Carl Baker and Jordan Clarke scored their first senior goals.

Robins said: "The preparation wasn't ideal because the team didn't get here until gone 2pm – around 2.30pm. That for a start wasn't ideal but we are not going to hide behind it.

"There was an accident on the M1 and we certainly hope everyone was okay. I came here separately so could get the team-sheet in by 2pm.

"Coventry are probably the biggest and most physical side in the division and the whole build-up to the game was about dealing with that.

"We didn't win tackles but it came to life a bit in the second half when we made changes.

"It's difficult trying to find positives when you have been beaten 3-0 for the second time in a week.

"It's back to the drawing board away from home. You've got to come to places like this and be stronger and not be bullied. I think we've been bullied in every department.

"It's not something that I am used to. We try to play our way out of football and that isn't going to change. But certainly in terms of our strength of mind and body, we looked short compared to them all over the pitch.

"We just didn't handle the physicality of Coventry."

Barnsley remain without an away league win in 14 matches. History suggested the Ricoh Arena would not be the place they would end that run with the Tykes failing to win at Coventry in 21 visits since August 1923.

And Barnsley did not make a good start. Lukas Jutkiewicz threatened early on before his strike partner McSheffrey found the net.

Coventry-born McSheffrey struck his second goal of the season, latching on to Clive Platt's header before beating former Sky Blues keeper Luke Steele from the left side of the area.

However, Coventry did not have it all their own way and Jacob Butterfield and Goran Lovre forced Keiren Westwood into fine saves with shots from the left-hand side of the box.

At the other end, a superb 20-yard effort from Aron Gunnarsson narrowly cleared the crossbar and Steele had to push away a McSheffrey strike.

Butterfield flashed a shot wide straight after the restart and Westwood was called upon to make a parrying save to keep out Adam Hammill's shot from the edge of the area.

Gunnarsson headed wide midway through the second half and Stephen Foster did likewise for Barnsley as the Tykes' final chance to get back into the game went begging.

Baker netted following a solo run in the 86th minute, finally beating Steele with a low shot from 18 yards out.

Clarke then spotted Steele off his line and his shot from the right side of the box nestled in the bottom corner.

City manager Aidy Boothroyd said: "I thought we deserved the win overall. Sometimes when substitutes go on it doesn't work all the time but today it worked perfectly."

Coventry: Westwood, Keogh, Wood, Turner, Cranie, Gunnarsson (Baker 75), Carsley, Clingan, McSheffrey (Clarke 83), Jutkiewicz (O'Donovan 90), Platt. Unused substitutes: Ireland, McPake, Doyle, Cameron.

Barnsley: Steele, Trippier, Butterfield, Foster, Hill, Hammill, Shackell, Doyle, Arismendi (O'Brien 46), Lovre (Morales Neumann 71), Wood (Dickinson 57). Unused substitutes: Preece, Colace, Potter, Gray.

Referee: T Bates (Staffordshire).

Man of the match: Jacob Butterfield.