Soccer

Frank Lampard impressed by Ephron Mason-Clark in first home win at Coventry

Mason-Clark scored the equaliser and set up the winner at CBS Arena.

Frank Lampard enjoyed a first home win as Coventry boss
Frank Lampard enjoyed a first home win as Coventry boss (Barrington Coombs/PA)

Frank Lampard heaped praise on Ephron Mason-Clark after Coventry came from behind to earn a 2-1 win against Hull in the Championship.

Mason-Clark scored the Sky Blues’ equaliser after Joao Pedro had opened the scoring before half-time, and he then delivered the cross from which Jack Rudoni headed in the 72nd-minute winner to complete the turnaround.

The victory was Lampard’s first at the CBS Arena and second in four games since replacing Mark Robins.

The former Chelsea boss said: “As a young winger, to have the ability to end up scoring goals, I think every goal he has scored for us now has been in and around the six-yard box, close to goal.

“I have worked with a lot of wingers and some of them you have to beg them to get into the six-yard box, and the ball is on the other side and he’s ended up in there.

“His general play and his positional play off the ball was great, so there are obviously things we can improve with Ephron but the raw talent was there for everyone to see.

“So I am really, really happy for him. That’s three goals in four games since I have been here and a great assist as well. He’s a nice, very humble lad as well and hopefully there’s more to come.

“We were scratching our heads at half-time, and it was really important to get the message to the players to understand because they would have felt the game.

“So I thought that was a great thing throughout the game, the character to keep doing the right things, which we did, and you feel that if you keep doing them then eventually you will get your breaks. I am happy with the whole 90 minutes.”

New Hull head coach Ruben Selles explained his frustration as the Tigers failed to build on Wednesday’s positive 1-1 draw with Watford in his first match in charge.

This defeat made it 13 games without a win and left them rooted to the bottom of the table.

“I’m frustrated, I think the frustration is for all of us,” the former Reading boss said.

“We came here with one idea, an intention, it didn’t quite work in the first 20 minutes.

“A couple of situations they were better than us in those moments, we found our way back into the game, we scored the goal and we talked about it at half-time.

“The early goal in the second half we need to manage better.

“It’s always difficult when you take the lead, especially in the position that we are, you feel that you have something to protect, and when you have something to protect you get lower, you start to make some mistakes that you aren’t used to making.

“I need to analyse how we can do better in those moments to not give those situations away and that is my responsibility.

“When we came, the team is rock bottom. It’s not going to be easy.

“We know exactly the type of job that we have and I think we know exactly how to get out of it, but it’s not going to be straight there.”