Millwall 0-1 Coventry City: Ephron Mason-Clark seals first win of Frank Lampard era

Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Millwall and Coventry City at The Den on Saturday; Ephron Mason-Clark seals the first victory of the Frank Lampard era with the Sky Blues as they edge past the Lions.

Saturday 7 December 2024 18:19, UK

Ephron Mason-Clark struck the only goal as Coventry picked up their first victory under new boss Frank Lampard with a deserved 1-0 win against Millwall at The Den.

It also ended a run of five league games without a win for the Sky Blues and lifted them four points clear of the relegation zone in the Sky Bet Championship in what was Lampard's second game in charge.

Millwall were without several key players, including Romain Esse and Josh Coburn, and could not pose enough of an attacking threat as their nine-match unbeaten run came to an end.

The home side thought they had taken the lead in the 12th minute when a Joe Bryan corner from the right got caught in the strong wind and went straight in.

However, the goal was ruled out as Lions striker Macaulay Langstaff was penalised for a foul on Coventry goalkeeper Brad Collins.

It was the only moment either goal was threatened in what was a soporific opening half-hour that did little to warm up those watching on.

It took 34 minutes for Coventry to even have a hint of an opening, which quickly came and went thanks to Jack Rudoni's heavy first touch from Tatsuhiro Sakamoto's dangerous cut-back.

A good move from the Lions soon after led to Femi Azeez feeding Langstaff in the area but he blazed his shot wildly over the bar.

The Sky Blues almost snatched the lead before half-time when Rudoni's header from Milan van Ewijk's cross was tipped over by Lukas Jensen.

There was still time for Duncan Watmore to fire a long-range shot over the bar for Millwall before the whistle blew with both teams knowing they needed to improve in an attacking sense after the break.

The clearest chance of the match so far came in the 58th minute when Victor Torp's cross fell for Mason-Clark, who struggled to get the ball out of his feet before his shot was blocked by Jensen.

But the former Peterborough man was able to make it two goals in two games under Lampard five minutes later when he steered a back-post volley from Rudoni's cross in off the underside of the bar.

Coventry threatened to double their lead when Mason-Clark played Rudoni in and although he was forced slightly wide, he was able to force Jensen into a save.

Millwall continued to huff and puff at the other end, with Langstaff again unable to trouble Collins with an effort from the corner of the area.

The Sky Blues came within a whisker of a more comfortable finale to the game when Bobby Thomas thudded a header from Rudoni's corner against the post but they held out for a much-needed three points.

The managers

Millwall's Neil Harris:

"We just lacked quality, didn't we? I thought first half we were the slightly better team but with no end product, no creativity.

"In the second half I thought Coventry had a good 10-minute spell around the goal and looked dangerous.

"Their subs made a real difference, they had some real good players coming off the bench and we just looked like a team that was trying really hard but just lacking the moments.

"That's where I think people have to get their head out the clouds and realise how well we've done to do what we've achieved so far and how tough it is for us as a group.

"Right at the end we're putting the ball in the box and one of my young centre-forwards and young wingers is standing outside the penalty area.

"It just shows how there's a lot of learning we've got in front of us."

Coventry's Frank Lampard:

"I think in this league you have to have that [fully committed defending] and I felt it was something that was a little bit lacking last week in terms of that last bit of commitment.

"When you come here, particularly, they make it really tough for you, and conditions were tough and balls coming into your box at the end of the game, you have to do it.

"That's probably the biggest plus for me and the players.

"We didn't play beautifully, the first half was too slow and passive - I told them that at half-time - and we were almost allowing the game to drift and then anything can happen here.

"But they grabbed it in the second half, we played quicker, we played forward and we created enough chances to possibly be winning 2-0 and have the game done but when it wasn't done we defended really well and that has to continue."