Coventry City 6-0 Bury

John Fleck, congratulated by fellow scorer James Maddison, has scored three goals this season

Coventry City thrashed Bury to end a five-game winless League One run.

Chris Stokes and Baily Cargill scored from Joe Cole set-pieces to put the Sky Blues ahead before James Maddison made it 3-0 from the edge of the area.

John Fleck was given time to score the fourth before half-time with a low shot past goalkeeper Ian Lawlor.

Coventry's top scorer Adam Armstrong then helped himself to two goals from incisive passes from Cole and Fleck to close the gap on fourth-placed Wigan.

The Sky Blues' thumping win came less than 24 hours after a celebration of the life of former Coventry manager Jimmy Hill was held in the city.

Sky Blues' best in over half a century

Coventry's win was their biggest league victory in 52 and a half years - since the days when Jimmy Hill was still Sky Blues manager.

They have scored six goals in a game several times in that intervening period, most recently when they twice did it to Derby County in successive seasons, 6-2 (April 5005), then 6-1 (January 2006), under Micky Adams.

But this was their biggest win since an 8-1 victory over Shrewsbury Town in October 1963, in the old Division Three.

City's record Football League win remains a 9-0 Division Three South victory against Bristol City in 1934.

The managers . . .

Sky Blues boss Tony Mowbray told BBC Coventry & Warwickshire:

"The talking had to stop really. In the team meeting I could sense a real urgency and responsibility abut the team.

"That we had to get back on the horse and start riding fast again. And it was a poignant day to do it.

"I was pleased that the team could find the performance that merited what has happened in the past few days."

Bury boss David Flitcroft told BBC Radio Manchester:

"First thing is to apologise for the performance, to apologise for the levels of performance and the unacceptable way we've conceded.

"The way we represented here is not the way I want my Bury team to represent the supporters, the board and football club. We've got to take that responsibility as a group.

"We need to take that on and understand that it won't happen and it can't happen again. It's not disappointment that I've got, it's a feeling of emptiness inside."