Plymouth scored four goals in an explosive first half to down Coventry and ease their relegation fears.

The hosts snatched the lead after 15 minutes through young striker Ashley Barnes.

Boss Paul Sturrock kept faith with the 19-year-old following an energetic performance in the 1-0 win at Blackpool last weekend, and he rewarded his manager by reacting first to a deflection off a visiting defender to head home from six yards.

Jamie Mackie, Alan Judge and Marcel Seip then all scored within 10 first-half minutes to have the game wrapped up by half-time.

Chris Coleman's side were guilty of sluggish defending for the opener and it was a similar story 11 minutes later as the Pilgrims doubled their lead.

Goalkeeper Keiren Westwood misjudged a flighted ball into his area and his fumbled take fell straight to striker Mackie who swept the ball home.

Plymouth smelt blood and on-loan Blackburn midfielder Judge slammed home a ferocious 27th-minute volley from the edge of the area.

More poor defending led to the third goal as centre-back Seip ghosted in behind the Coventry defence to head home Chris Barker's clipped cross to make it 4-0.

Despite the humiliating scoreline, the visitors had goalscoring chances of their own.

But they failed to capitalise as Kevin Thornton's drive forced a brilliant reaction save from Romain Larrieu, while Scott Dann's header clipped the top of the bar.

Coleman must have had stern words for his side during the interval as the visitors were much improved in the second half.

Twelve minutes after the break, they should have grabbed a consolation when full-back Daniel Fox's corner picked out Ben Turner but his close-range header failed to trouble Larrieu.

Larrieu was called into action in the 70th minute when he flung himself to his left to tip Fox's dipping free-kick round the post and out for a corner.

The home side were clearly prepared to settle for four goals and a clean sheet and rarely reached the high-octane level on display in the opening half.

But they came close to extending their lead in the 72nd minute when Carl Fletcher's point-blank header was superbly kept out by substitute keeper Andy Marshall.

There were further late chances for the Sky Blues but Clinton Morrison, Thornton and Fox all failed to reduce the deficit.

Teams

Plymouth Larrieu, Gray, Seip, Barker, Sawyer,Judge (Clark 74), Fletcher, Duguid, Gallagher,Mackie (Douala 74), Barnes (Fallon 74).

Subs Not Used: Saxton, Timar.

Goals: Barnes 15, Mackie 26, Judge 27, Seip 37.

Coventry Westwood (Marshall 50), Osbourne, Dann, Turner, Fox,Gunnarsson (Thornton 29), Beuzelin, Doyle, Eastwood, Morrison,Simpson.

Subs Not Used: Hall, Ward, Cain.

Booked: Dann, Doyle, Morrison, Fox.

Att: 12,568

Ref: Clive Oliver (Northumberland).