Hemmings shows the way for on-fire U’s
OXFORD United boss Michael Appleton heaped the praise on his side as they recorded their biggest league win of the season.
Strikes from Kane Hemmings, Chris Maguire and Alex MacDonald, in addition to Jamie Sterry’s own goal, were enough to see off a beleaguered Coventry side who grabbed a late consolation through Marcus Tudgay.
Appleton said: “There’s no coincidence that when we start on the front foot and we get into teams, that we can put on a performance like we did in the first half.
“I know it was only 3-0 at half-time, but it could have easily been five or six.
“We asked the players to produce a good first-half performance, as we certainly weren't happy with the first half last week.
“We've had some good training sessions and meetings this week about setting the standard higher and trying the replicate the level we were at last season, and in the first half I think we were very, very good.”
The Yellows were ahead as early as the seventh minute when Hemmings fired in from the edge of the penatly area after a neat touch from Maguire.
The Sky Blues struggled to contain Oxford’s lively front pairing of Hemmings and Maguire, and the former created the second goal on the half-hour mark – his mazy run and cross-shot was deflected into his own net by the unlucky Sterry.
And it was 3-0 just over five minutes later when Maguire deservedly grabbed a goal, sending Lee Budge the wrong way from the penalty spot after he had been fouled by Lewis Page.
MacDonald then scored Oxford’s fourth on the hour mark, firing in from 12 yards after Hemmings’ shot had been blocked. And even though substitute Tudgay scored a consulation spot-kick for the Sky Blues in stoppage time after Sterry had been brought down by Chey Dunkley, Coventry manager Mark Venus knows he has a tough job on his hands in the coming months.
He said: “It was the worst performance I've seen since I've been here.
“The bottom line is we did everything wrong here.
“We're not a team that are going to win five games on the trot; we will lose as many as we win.
“After 18 games it's no fluke that we are down the bottom of the league standings.
“We need more men at the club, we're not going to win every week playing young boys that aren't ready for this league and can't handle this league.”