BAGGIES top gun Diomansy Kamara heralded his return from suspension with a brilliant two-goal blast as Albion's strikers rediscovered their goalscoring touch in devastating fashion.
Ex-Portsmouth ace Kamara made the most of his recall following a one-game ban by netting his ninth and tenth of the term in the first half to end his six-game wait for a goal.
In-form Jason Koumas all-but secured Albion's eighth Hawthorns win of the season by adding a third before half-time.
And Kevin Phillips ended his own eight-match goal drought by making it four in the 57th minute.
Paul Robinson put the icing on the cake by grabbing his first-ever Hawthorns goal after more than three years at the club seven minutes from time.
Albion's biggest win of the season blew apart Coventry's excellent defensive record. The Sky Blues had started the day with the division's second meanest rearguard.
It was no less than Tony Mowbray's men deserved as they stretched their unbeaten run to three games to put pressure on the top six.
The two Midlands rivals started the day level on 33 points, with the hosts' superior goal difference seeing them two places better off in ninth.
The game simply exploded into life.
After just 13 seconds, Russell Hoult had to pull off a stunning stop to keep out Dele Adebola's ten-yard snapshot after the City striker had shrugged off Martin Albrechtsen's attentions to latch onto forward partner Stern John's lay-off.
But, incredibly, Albion took the lead just 18 seconds later.
The jet-heeled Kamara beat Andy Marshall to Koumas' diagonal ball before rounding the Sky Blues keeper and tapping into the empty net.
The pace didn't let up and Kamara saw a fierce 15-yard volley clip off a Coventry defender and fly just over after John Hartson had headed Koumas' deep free-kick back into the danger-zone.
But chances also continued to come at the other end.
Darren Currie picked out John with a sublime left-wing cross and Hoult displayed terrific reflexes to push away the Trinidad & Tobago international's eight-yard header.
Barely ten minutes was on the clock when Adebola's flick-on put John clear of the Baggies defence.
But the former Blues striker could only direct his attempted lob over the on-rushing Hoult high into the air, allowing the Albion keeper to gather easily.
Back came Albion and Marshall produced a fine save with his legs to keep out Phillips' close-range turn-and-shot from Robinson's clever ball.
After a neat spell of Baggies possession, Phillips saw a 25-yard effort deflect off a City defender and fly just wide before Hartson also narrowly missed the target from similar distance following clever work by Kamara.
Albion were now beginning to pile on the pressure and a scintillating breakaway move involving Robinson, Nigel Quashie and Phillips ended in Kamara heading an awkward chance onto the roof of the net.
Koumas then sent Coventry hearts a flutter again when he curled a 20-yard free-kick inches over the bar.
Coventry earned brief respite when a break down the left resulted in Clive Clarke teeing up Michael Doyle 25 yards out, but the Sky Blues midfielder fired high into the Brummie Road End.
Albion were soon back on the attack and sailed into a deserved 2-0 lead in the 33rd minute.
Kamara won a spot-kick when he was hauled down by former Baggies trialist Marcus Hall after beating the left-back for pace to reach Phillips' slide-rule pass.
The Senegal ace dusted himself down before sending Marshall the wrong way to hit double figures for the season.
Koumas almost made it three when he cut in from the left and curled a sublime right-footed shot just wide of the far post.
Albion had a momentary scare when Clarke saw a ferocious low drive fly off Paul McShane and just wide of Hoult's left-hand post for a corner.
But it was from the Sky Blues' flag-kick that Albion earned a three-goal cushion.
After Currie had seen a 20-yard grass-cutter blocked in the box, Phillips collected the loose ball and charged upfield before slipping Koumas in.
The Welsh wizard duly obliged, squeezing a low shot under Marshall and just inside the far post in the 39th minute.
Koumas' fourth goal in six games brought to an end a simply awesome 45 minutes from the Baggies.
Albion picked up from where they left off after the break when Marshall had to produce a fine save low to his left to keep out Kamara's fierce downward header from Koumas' exquisite left-wing cross.
Hoult was called into his first action for some time when he showed real alertness to punch clear before Colin Cameron could pounce on Adebola's header into the six-yard box.
Robinson also showed real bravery when he put his head in the way of Clarke's goalbound 20-yard free-kick to divert it over Hoult's bar.
But, if the result was still in any doubt, Phillips well and truly put the game to bed in the 57th minute by ending his personal goal drought.
Phillips hadn't scored for two months since netting a stunning hat-trick at Ipswich.
But the former Villa man showed all of his predatory instincts when he pounced on Currie's wayward pass and cut across the Sky Blues box before sending a low drive into the far corner of Marshall's net.
Skipper Curtis Davies' rare mistake, when he failed to cut out Hall's left-wing cross, presented City substitute Kevin Kyle with a great chance in the 64th minute, only for the ex-Sunderland striker to hook the ball over the bar.
Cameron also should have done much better when he raced clear of the home defence and shot wide with just Hoult to beat.
But Albion were in cruise control and Robinson truly made it a five-star display in the 83rd minute when he headed home the excellent Jonathan Greening's left-wing cross for only his second-ever Baggies goal.
ALBION (4-4-2): Hoult; Albrechtsen, C Davies, McShane, Robinson; Kamara (Gera 65), Quashie, Greening, Koumas (Clement 74); Hartson (Ellington 59), Phillips. Subs not used: Steele (gk), Carter.
COVENTRY (4-4-2): Marshall; Duffy, Page, Ward (Bischoff 62), Hall; Cameron, Clarke (Birchall 74), Doyle, Currie (Kyle 62); Adebola, John. Subs not used: Virgo, Hughes.
GOALS: ALBION - Kamara (31 secs & 33), Koumas (39), Phillips (57), Robinson (83).
BOOKINGS: ALBION - Kamara (foul 46+1). COVENTRY - Doyle (foul 34), Page (foul 37), Clarke (foul 46+1), Duffy (foul 46+1).
REFEREE: M Jones (Chester).
ATTENDANCE: 20,370.
ALBION STARMAN: Kevin Phillips.
(PICS BY LAURIE RAMPLING)
