Josh Eccles scored twice in Coventry’s 4-0 thumping of Sky Bet Championship strugglers Plymouth Argyle that increases the pressure on Pilgrims boss Wayne Rooney.

This was Rooney’s first managerial meeting against former England colleague Frank Lampard whose Sky Blues side clinically punished a woeful first-half performance from the visitors.

All four of City’s goals came before the break to rendering the second half a formality, as the hosts moved up to 14th while leaving Plymouth bottom of the pile, three points adrift of safety after another capitulation on their travels.

It took Coventry just over three minutes to forge their first opportunity as Jake Bidwell’s cross ran for Jack Rudoni, who headed wide at the back post.

In the fifth minute came another reminder why Plymouth have the worst defensive record in the division as Coventry took the lead when Tatsuhiro Sakamoto was allowed a free header from Ben Sheaf’s cross that Pilgrims goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw could not keep out.

The Sky Blues doubled their advantage in the 20th minute following a fine move that involved Bidwell heading down for Ephron Mason-Clark who laid the ball off for Eccles and he buried a low drive from just outside the area.

The afternoon could not have been going any better for the hosts and they netted a third in the 39th minute when Mason-Clark beat the offside trap to run onto Eccles’ ball over the top and finish beyond the helpless Grimshaw.

Plymouth’s limp first-half display was summed up just before half-time when Adam Randell was caught in possession just outside his own box by Rudoni, with Eccles taking over to find the bottom corner for his second and the Sky Blues’ fourth.

Sixteen-year-old Tegan Finn, making his first start for the Pilgrims, almost pulled one back in first-half stoppage time when his curling effort needed tipping over by Oliver Dovin.

Four goals down at the break, Plymouth tried to restore some pride early in the second half, but both Callum Wright and Rami Al Hajj were off target with a couple of overly ambitious efforts.

Victor Torp had come on for Mason-Clark during half-time and he almost bent in a wonderful fifth for the Sky Blues on the hour, only for Grimshaw to deny him with a flying save.

The former Manchester City youngster then nearly gifted the hosts another goal when he fumbled Ellis Simms’ shot before gathering at the second attempt.

Coventry substitute Brandon Thomas-Asante almost livened up what was a processional second half with 10 minutes left when Grimshaw had to get down to push away his shot.

The damage had long been done, but there was still one final moment of ignominy for Plymouth as Wright was sent off for a wild lunge on Joel Latibeaudiere in the 87th minute.