Coventry City 2-1 Hull City: Jack Rudoni’s strike gives Frank Lampard first home win as Sky Blues boss | Football news

Coventry earned their first home win under Frank Lampard after coming from behind to beat bottom side Hull 2-1.

Joao Pedro opened the scoring for the Tigers before the break, but the Sky Blues turned the game around in the second period through goals from Ephron Mason-Clark and Jack Rudoni despite Victor Torp’s penalty miss.

The win made it two wins in four outings since Lampard took charge, while Hull – in the second game of Ruben Selles’ reign – went 13 without a win since October 1.

Hull’s opener came completely against the run of play with one of their only ventures into Coventry territory in the first half.

Abu Kamara worked a bit to dig a cross to the back post which Ryan Longman headed against the woodwork but the rebound fell perfectly to Pedro to net his third goal of the season.

It had been all Coventry up until that point as Lampard’s men controlled the first 45 minutes with almost 70 per cent possession.

It was clear to see the changes in the style of play Lampard plans to instill at the CBS Arena as Coventry’s opening chance came through a free-flowing passage of play from back to front which ended with Torp’s effort deflected wide.

Mason-Clark, starting on the left with Haji Wright still sidelined through injury, fired a cross into the penalty area which was headed over by Norman Bassette.

It was Mason-Clark who then almost created a goal at the back post for Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, but team-mate Rudoni took it off the Japan international’s head at the last second.

Captain Ben Sheaf also came close to opening the scoring when he was on the end of Torp’s inviting free-kick, but his looping header was tipped over the bar by a sprawling Ivor Pandur in the Hull goal.

It was Torp’s delivery that led to Coventry’s equalizer seven minutes after the restart when he picked out Mason-Clark at the back post and the winger headed home his third goal in four games.

The Sky Blues had the perfect opportunity to get their noses in front when Bassette was brought down by Charlie Hughes in the area, but Pandur came to Hull’s rescue by saving Torp’s tame penalty in the 66th minute.

Bradley Collins also had to be alert at the other end to push away Longman’s curling effort after he twisted and turned to create an angle for a shot.

Hull substitute Mason Burstow was next to force Collins into action when he ran at Jay Dasilva and his off-foot effort headed for the bottom corner before the Coventry keeper tipped it around the post.

Coventry scored what proved to be the winner in the 72nd minute when Mason-Clark cut in and delivered a cross for Rudoni to head home.

Ellis Simms almost put Coventry out of sight but his header was gathered safely by Pandur as he came back off the inside of the post.

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Coventry’s Frank Lampard:

“As a young winger, to have the ability to end up scoring goals, I think every goal he (Mason-Clark) has scored for us now has been in and around the six-yard box, close goal.

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

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

“So I’m really, really happy for him. It’s three goals in four games since I’ve been here and a great assist as well. He’s a lovely, 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 across to the players 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 like if you keep doing them, eventually you’ll get your breaks. I’m happy for the full 90 minutes.”

Hull’s Ruben sells:

“I’m frustrated, I think the frustration is for all of us.

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

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

“We have to manage the early goal in the second half better.

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

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

“When we arrived, the team was at the bottom. It won’t be easy.

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