Eye-opener for new boss Hughes

Having played badly enbough to persuade Neale Cooper to pack it all in and then kicked any dream Micky Barron had of taking over in the teeth, Hartlepool United's players have now set about beating up new boss John Hughes.

Losing 5-0 at home is some way to welcome a new gaffer and if Hughes wasn’t aware of the huge task he faces at Victoria Park, he should be now.

Coventry are relegation candidates themselves, but on this evidence Pools are just candidates … they are down already.

Pools started with some promise, but the heads went down when they failed to get a breakthrough and in the second half Coventry strolled home.

The goals came from Carl Baker with two, a Dave McGoldrick penalty, Frank Moussa and sub Adam Barton.

Hughes admitted when he spoke to the club website that he had gone through a baptism of fire and added: “The two things that disappointed me were how the heads went down after the first goal and I’m gutted about the result.

“We’re better than that and we have to show a bit of pride. The first half was good – we had a few chances and they had their keeper to thank. If  one of those had gone in, it might have given us something to hold on to.

“We have to show more character, more fight, more togetherness to give us a foothold. We have to get galvanised. I expect us to come out fighting.”

Hughes was possibly holding back. The first half showed some hope, the second was a total flop. Hughes had hoped for a performance to inspire the fans … all he heard at the final whistle was booing.