Coventry made it back-to-back Premier League wins with a thumping 4-1 home victory over Newcastle to move Frank Lampard’s side out of the relegation zone.
Goals from Jack Rudoni, teenager Sidiki Cherif and substitutes Ellis Simms and Stephen Mfuni gave the Sky Blues their first home win of the season.
A stunning Sven Botman strike had given Newcastle hope of a comeback as they made it 2-1 in the 70th minute, but just 11 minutes later Simms restored Coventry’s two-goal lead before Mfuni superbly added a fourth.
The visitors, who suffered a second consecutive 4-1 away defeat, made a nightmare start at the CBS Arena as goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek brought down summer signing Cherif to allow Rudoni to hit a sixth-minute penalty opener.
Newcastle responded well to falling behind but were wasteful as Matias Fernandez-Pardo missed two big chances, with his one-on-one opportunity cleared off the line by Bobby Thomas.
Coventry then punished their profligacy immediately after the restart as Cherif fantastically doubled the lead in the 48th minute with the 19-year-old’s powerful low strike from just outside the box, his first goal for the club.
Botman’s goal, however, was even better as he thundered home from long range, but Coventry responded well through Simm’s deflected strike.
Eighteen-year-old summer signing Mfuni, who joined from Manchester City on loan, then hit his first senior goal in the 86th minute to cap off a fine evening for Lampard’s side.
Coventry can make it three victories in a row when they visit winless Tottenham next Monday, live on Sky Sports, while Newcastle aim to bounce back against Aston Villa at home on Saturday, also live on Sky Sports.
Story of the match in stats
The key moments from the CBS Arena…
6: COVENTRY GOAL! Rudoni scores from the spot after Newcastle goalkeeper Hornicek brought down Cherif.
29: BIG CHANCES AT BOTH ENDS! Fernandez-Pardo dummies at the front post rather than going for goal himself, which allows Coventry to break through Cherif, but he shoots straight at the goalkeeper.
31: NEWCASTLE GO CLOSE! Jacob Murphy hooks the ball back across goal, but Thomas does well to get ahead of Fernandez-Pardo to clear before he can head home.
43: WHAT A CHANCE FOR NEWCASTLE! Thomas to the rescue again as he rushes back to clear Fernandez-Pardo’s shot off the line after he had rounded the goalkeeper.
48: COVENTRY GOAL! Minutes into the second half, Coventry double their lead through a fine Cherif strike from just outside the box.
55: IT SHOULD BE THREE-NIL! Cherif misses a glorious close-range chance to grab his second as he fires wide after a poor Malick Thiaw clearance.
70: NEWCASTLE GOAL! A long-range Botman stunner gives Newcastle hope.
81: COVENTRY GOAL! Simms restores the home side’s two-goal lead with a deflected strike.
86: COVENTRY GOAL! Icing on the cake for the Sky Blues as Mfuni hammers in a fourth in off the post.
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