A Coventry view of last night

The reporter at Edgar Street for the Coventry Evening Telegraph, Alan Poole, noted how Coventry were turned over by a side two leagues below them.

For the first time this season they were outplayed - genuinely unlucky to lose at Southampton and Cardiff in the league, they can count themselves distinctly fortunate that they didn't endure heavier punishment against a side who were operating three divisions below them this time last year.

Even more alarming, their defence - so steady in the first four matches of the season - were teased, tormented and ultimately torn apart by the man who their coaches had singled out as Hereford's major (arguably their only) threat.

Stuart Fleetwood was jettisoned by Cardiff City because Dave Jones didn't think he was a Championship-class striker. But he boasts the one quality that, as Alan Hansen and co never tire of reminding us, every defender hates - pace.

In Fleetwood's case, that's pace with a capital P, searing speed from a standing start that exposed City's defence inside the first minute and had them creaking at the seams for the remaining 89.

By the time he limped off in the 73rd minute - ostensibly with a tweaked muscle, although Bulls boss Graham Turner cheekily suggested that he bowed out early to milk his standing ovation - he had scored three goals, missed two more self-created opportunities and proved that Micky Adams has more things to worry about than his under-performing attack.

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