Coventry Extend Championship Lead After Late Mason-clark Strike Sinks Stoke

When it arrived it was worthy nan wait. Ephron Mason-Clark had provided overmuch of nan quality, successful a crippled mostly devoid of it. So it was fitting that it was he who, pinch full-time nearing, near nan level to meet Ellis Simms’ flick-on acrobatically and nonstop 3,300 Coventry fans into a chaotic dance.

Mason-Clark was near floored by Junior Tchamadeu who, arsenic he had each afternoon, tried to halt his nonstop force connected nan Coventry near but arrived a fraction excessively late. Those successful nan bluish area did his celebrating for him, a rendition of Dean Martin’s Sway containing their No 10’s sanction filling nan Stoke aerial for respective minutes.

Eventually a pensive looking Mason-Clark departed connected a stretcher but earned nan afternoon’s loudest cheer pinch a activity towards his loyal followers. Frank Lampard watched connected calmly, arms folded, from nan method area. But moreover he had allowed himself a celebratory jig pinch his unit astatine nan extremity and why not: Coventry’s lead astatine nan apical of nan tablewas extended to 5 points.

Spare a thought for Mark Robins. A twelvemonth and a time since he was unceremoniously sacked by nan visitors – impervious that moreover occurrence workers are afforded small grace – he must person thought his resurgent Stoke squad had battled difficult capable for a point.

He must not beryllium excessively disheartened, though. Stoke, who slipped to third, showed capable to propose that nan optimism astir their resurrection is not misplaced. Their crushed is erstwhile much a boiling cookware of intimidation aft 8 seasons spent hardly astatine a simmer.

An already hyped crowd roared louder erstwhile nan Coventry fans began chanting instantly aft nan Last Post had finished. They quickly realised their (accidental) correction but a minute’s soundlessness became 55 seconds.

Frank Lampard punches nan aerial aft Coventry moved 5 points clear astatine nan apical of nan Championship. Photograph: Paul Currie/Shutterstock

Further emotion was mislaid erstwhile Brandon Thomas-Asante went to crushed successful nan area. Ben Wilmot had simply stroked his shoulder, and John Busby rather rightly deemed nan interaction was hardly interaction astatine all. Boos. Boos. More boos.

Clear openings were scarce. For Coventry, Victor Torp saw Viktor Johansson contradict him doubly and Ashley Phillips artifact his first-time hit. The Dane mightiness person expected to people astatine slightest once: his six erstwhile Championship strikes this play person travel from an xG of conscionable 1.7.

Stoke’s champion chance arrived erstwhile a teasing transverse looked to beryllium met by Million Manhoef. However, conscionable earlier it reached him astatine nan backmost post, Jay Dasilva sewage a captious touch. The shot bounced disconnected of Manhoef’s look and to safety. Offside was suspected but nan emblem remained bodyside and, fixed nan deficiency of video adjunct referee, it would person stood.

Staying connected video technology, Sorba Thomas recovered luck successful its absence. “My bad, my bad” he mouthed erstwhile swarmed by bluish shirts aft he kicked nan twisting Tatsuhiro Sakamoto adjacent nan touchline. It was mistimed not malicious but he wore a blameworthy face.

Post-break, nan hostility grew arsenic nan ray faded. Again, Coventry were connected nan beforehand foot. Haji Wright requested a punishment but again Busby’s telephone was spot connected – Wilmot had timed his situation perfectly. Mason-Clark, a changeless nuisance to Tchamadeu, danced wrong and sewage a changeable from region away. Johansson spilled an awkwardly bouncing shot and took a sound from Thomas-Asante gathering nan rebound.

Stoke continued defending resolutely, looking mostly to break via Manhoef and Thomas. A clevely weighted Bae Jun-ho walk saw nan erstwhile through, but again Dasilva, first by pushing nan winger wide and past by throwing his assemblage astatine nan shot, thwarted him.

Finally, pinch 4 minutes of normal clip remaining of a crippled played successful acres of abstraction and astatine a ferocious pace, Mason-Clark yet provided nan missing ace.

The pure, unbridled optimism that lingered successful nan aerial en way to nan crushed had dissipated a touch for nan 24,000 aliases truthful location fans arsenic they departed. But for Coventry, whose fans serenaded Mason-Clark agelong aft nan last whistle, nan emotion that their adjacent 25-year hold for a top-flight return is edging person grows ever stronger.