Frank Lampard has written his name into the Coventry City history books with a stunning last-gasp 3-2 win over Stoke City – and predecessor Mark Robins.
The victory over the Potters means the Sky Blues have now won nine of their last 10 league games – a feat they had only previously managed in September 1954.
That, though, was in the Division 3 South, a tier below the Championship – meaning this is officially Coventry’s greatest-ever run of form.
Chelsea and England icon Lampard joined the Sky Blues at the end of November with the club 17th in the second division.
He replaced Robins, who was in the opposite dugout for the Potters, having taken his current job on New Year’s Day.
Since then, Lampard has managed 21 games and won 12 of those, losing just five.
nd that run has seen them climb into the play-off places, currently sitting fifth after a dramatic finish at the Coventry Building Society Arena on Saturday.
Bobby Thomas was the hero for Coventry with a stunning lashed finish with just 30 seconds left on the clock.
It had looked like Sam Gallagher would walk away with the plaudits when he grabbed a second half brace to level the scores following Victor Torp’s early double.
And Thomas’ goal saw scenes of ecstasy as Lampard’s men celebrated his winning goal wildly.
Earlier in the game, Coventry full-back Milan van Ewijk launched a long throw into the penalty area for Torp to attack and his free header bounced beyond Vikor Johansson.
Meanwhile, his second saw him ghost into the box, collecting Tatsuhiro Sakamoto’s pass across the area, and sweeping the ball home.
Coventry could have had a penalty at the end of the first half too but the referee chose not to penalise Stoke shot-stopper Johansson for taking out Ephron Mason-Clark, with the forward’s poke over him striking the post and going out of play.
Midway through the second-half, Gallagher reduced the arrears, tapping in from close range before then netting an equaliser.
THE BEST RUN OF LEAGUE FORM WE HAVE EVER SEEN.
WE'RE ALL LIVING IT. 🩵 pic.twitter.com/5x5x8Ogdid
— Coventry City (@Coventry_City) March 8, 2025
But centre-back Thomas arrived right on time for Lampard’s men.
After the game the English boss told talkSPORT: “It’s massive. You know, it’s three points for us and in a game like that, you’re 2-0 up. It should be 3-0 up. I think we should have a penalty. That was pretty clear.
“But it can be cagey, it can be difficult. Stoke are no mugs. All these games are really difficult.
“And when you get back to 2-2, I think character needs to come through.
“And it was an amazing atmosphere today in the stadium. Full house. Both sets of fans. But our home fans – unreal. And we got the job done.”
The win will come as no surprise as to chairman Doug King who, in midweek, waxed lyrical to talkSPORT about Lampard’s impact in the Midlands.
“I remember talking to you when we appointed Frank at the end of November. I didn’t really put any expectations out there, I felt that we needed to change it and Frank was the outstanding candidate,” King said.
“He came in and got on with it and in the last six weeks we’ve been on an amazing run to propel us up to fifth.
“I’ve always been consistent that I thought the squad of players was good enough to be in that position but that’s my view and reality is something different and was different at the end of November.
“He’s done a great job,” King added. “He’s been great around the place, positive, a really good people person and tactically we’ve ground out results in difficult moments when we didn’t have a full squad.
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