Coventry boss Frank Lampard was pleased to see his side’s defensive work pay off as they held firm before snatching a last-gasp winner at Sheffield Wednesday.
Ellis Simms’ second goal of the game in the third minute of stoppage time snatched the Sky Blues a 2-1 victory after Joel Latibeaudiere’s own goal had gifted the Owls an equaliser.
Lampard said: “The lads defended the box really well, defended all their corners really well. But if you defend a lot, sometimes those goals can just come.
“For the work we’ve done over these last two months and where we are trying to get to, sometimes a game just challenges you in a different way. This one did and the players dug in and we went at it at the end.”
Lampard praised the Owls and particularly their skipper Barry Bannan, adding: “They give you problems.
“You know they’ve got a good strong squad and a well-coached team and they give you issues and Barry Bannan is so influential, popping up around the pitch and finding passes, so we knew that was coming a little bit.”
Match-winner Simms earned the praise of his manager, with Lampard saying: “It gives off a sign of some character and desire in the team to keep going. Today’s a very tough match, no doubt, but Ellis’s desire to chase a lost cause that people maybe would have given up on and finish it well (was excellent).
“He’s also very dedicated and beneath the quiet nature is a determined lad that wants to score goals, wants to improve himself.
“I knew Ellis from working with him at Everton, so to come in when I did, when he was in that sort of moment, maybe it was helpful for both of us, that I could come in with a fresh approach.”
Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl tried to stay positive following an unlucky defeat.
He said: “You can say apart from the two conceded goals, we did everything right.
“On the front foot, high intensity, a lot of shots. We created a lot of opportunities, set-pieces, front-foot defending, on the pitch, from the bench. I cannot blame or complain about something.
“I was disappointed about the first goal because, again, no pressure on the ball.
“I’m proud of my team, how they play football. I think we played the football that we want to see, but we didn’t get the right result.
“I said to my players after the game, this is the difference between an individual sport like tennis and a team one like football.
“In individual sports you have to take the responsibility as your own, but also like team sports, you have to stick together and you have to take responsibility as a group and we have to lift each other. We have to help each other, recover and then next week we go again.”
