Lampard’s Coventry moves eight points clear of Championship table

Frank Lampard’s Coventry have moved eight points clear at the top of the Championship table following Saturdat’s 2-0 win away at Bristol City.

First half goals from Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and Haji Wright strengthened Coventry’s position at the top as both teams finish with 10 men.

Coventry moved eight points clear of Middlesbrough in second, who play away to QPR on Sunday.

Tatsuhiro Sakamoto headed the Sky Blues in front before setting up Haji Wright for the second goal in first-half injury time.

Wright hit his sixth goal in five games for Coventry’s fifth successive victory, as the Sky Blues now look set for an automatic qualification back to the Premier League.

Coventry were reduced to 10 men in between the goals when defender Joel Latibeaudiere was sent off for hauling back Emil Riis.

However, both sides were reduced to 10 men after Bristol City’s Adam Randell received his second booking.

Bristol City looked the more dangerous side during an uninspiring first half-hour, with the bustling Sinclair Armstrong twice firing wide and Riis denied by a timely block from ex-Robins full-back Jay Dasilva.

But the leaders struck when Ephron Mason-Clark released Dasilva on the left and he weaved his way into a crossing position, supplying Sakamoto for a header that Radek Vitek failed to keep out.

However, Mason-Clark was soon sacrificed following Latibeaudiere’s dismissal by referee Matt Donohue and Lampard sent on Liam Kitching to shore up the Sky Blues’ back line.

The home side should have capitalised when Neto Borges headed over Mark Sykes’ cross from close range – but instead it was Coventry who scored again as Sakamoto won the ball and fed Wright, who hammered across Vitek into the far corner.

The Robins brought on playmaker Scott Twine at the break and enjoyed an early spell of pressure, only to lose their numerical advantage when Randell’s high challenge on Josh Eccles earned him a second yellow card.

Twine provided a glimpse of hope for the home side with a curling attempt that Carl Rushworth dived to scramble around the post, while Max Bird’s drive also brought a save from the Sky Blues goalkeeper.

At the other end, Ellis Simms might have sealed the result with a third Coventry goal after Milan van Ewijk teed him up, but the substitute was denied by Vitek.