Frank Lampard hailed both the spirit and quality of his Coventry City side after a dramatic 2-1 victory over Stoke City.
A stoppage-time winner from Jack Rudoni secured a fourth consecutive Championship win for the Sky Blues.
The result came in front of a record crowd at the CBS Arena, the highest attendance since the club first moved into the stadium in August 2005.
With 11 matches remaining, Coventry remain firmly at the top of the table.
Frank Lampard praises Coventry City’s spirit
Frank Lampard was clear that performance, not fortune, defined the afternoon.
“Yeah, I think spirit was one thing, but quality was the other,” he said via Coventry Live. “We were fantastic today, one of our best home performances from the first minute.
“We should have been two or three goals ahead at half-time for our play, but football sometimes kicks you where you don’t want it to.”
Coventry dominated the first half but found themselves pegged back after Stoke capitalised on a set-piece.
“From zero threat from them, I think they get a free kick in their own half, launch it in the box, get their first corner and score, and that’s obviously disheartening,” Lampard added.
“But the performance in the first half was brilliant. There was no answer to what we were doing for them.”
Despite frustration as the match remained level for a while, Lampard praised his players’ composure.
“You just start to worry when the game goes on, and we play that well, and it’s one all, but yeah, you’re right, the character of the team to get it over the line in the end and get what we fully deserved was brilliant. So lots of great things from us today.”
Coventry City break 21-year attendance record
Jack Rudoni’s stoppage-time strike lifted the roof off the CBS Arena. The goal not only secured three points but capped a historic afternoon for the club.
The attendance of 31,516 set a new stadium record, surpassing previous highs since Coventry first played at the ground, then known as the Ricoh Arena, in August 2005.
The victory keeps Coventry at the summit of the Championship with momentum building at a crucial stage of the campaign.
Four straight wins underline their promotion credentials, while growing home support reflects renewed belief.
With 11 games left, Lampard’s side are combining performance and resilience at exactly the right time.
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