FRANK Lampard believes Coventry City’s late win against Middlesbrough shows how his side has grown over the course of his year-long tenure at the Sky Blues.
Late goals from Liam Kitching and Ellis Simms saw Coventry move 10 points clear at the top of the Championship table following a 4-2 victory at the Riverside Stadium.
Kitching and Simms both scored braces with Morgan Whittaker on target for Boro while Bobby Thomas put through his own net early in the second period.
And Lampard praised his side’s character to come away with all three points as he closes in on his one-year anniversary as Sky Blues boss.
Lampard said: “It was an amazing night. It was a tough game, you could feel the atmosphere. They were up for it.
“We felt periods of the game that were tough. We were really clinical in the first half. We were a big threat on the counter attack.
“I never felt comfortable at two-nil and that was proven right. But the character to flip a game like we did at the end was outstanding.
“The players – outstanding. I’ve been here for one year, lots of people question the character: ‘who are the leaders? are they tough enough?’
“The players have grown in that [one-year] period and that is reflected in what we’ve seen in the last two games and we must continue. We can’t relax.
“It’s obviously great [to be 10 points clear] but my job is to balance confidence and momentum and understand what happens if we drop.
“We’re in a good position and we need to continue but there is a long way to go.”
With Haji Wright still sidelined through injury, Lampard started Simms as his side’s lone striker for the second game running.
And Simms repaid his manager’s faith with a stunning opener before later sealing the points with a header from close range.
Simms has now scored three goals in his last two outings and Lampard praised the striker’s work ethic on just his third start of the campaign.
Lampard added: “When you’re a number nine and not playing all of the time and Haji was scoring his goals, Ellis was working hard and staying quiet like he generally is.
“But he’s worked and he’s worked and his hold-up play and heading. He’s got great raw attributes that if he’s on top of himself like that he can do what he did [against Middlesbrough].
“The goal in the first half is a top-level finish – it’s an outstanding goal. And the second one is where you want your centre forward to be – in-between the sticks to score.
“I’m really happy for Ellis as everyone is. The fans were all singing his name at the end. They understand when a player has a humility about them.
“He’s a very humble guy. He comes to work and does his job and there’s something really endearing about that.”
Coventry are next in action against Charlton Athletic on Saturday, November 29 with kick-off at 3pm at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
