Frank Lampard makes bold claim after thrashing QPR on historic day for Coventry

Frank Lampard felt Coventry produced their best performance under him in hammering QPR 7-1 on a day that started with the club announcing the purchase of their stadium.

For the first time since the Coventry Building Society Arena opened 20 years ago, the Sky Blues can call themselves owners of their home, and their supporters were buzzing off the news which broke on Saturday morning.

Their mood was only helped by a ruthless showing, the hosts exploiting some abject QPR defending to rack up their biggest victory since an 8-0 thumping of Rushden & Diamonds in the League Cup in 2002.

Haji Wright, Jack Rudoni and Victor Torp all scored twice as Coventry made it back-to-back wins, in which they have scored 12 goals. Lampard said: “Probably the first 45 minutes here was the best we’ve played since I’ve been here, there’s no point in denying that.

“It had every facet of our game that we talk about, that we work on, everything on the mentality side of it, how at it we were – you could feel the energy on the pitch.

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“I’m pleased because we as staff have spoken to the players a lot in these opening weeks about what we demand, the standards we want to bring every week consistently, and today we showed it.

“It was an outstanding performance, topped off by the quality at the top end of the pitch. I think there was a massive positive feeling for everybody this morning.

“To hear the news and understand what that means for the club is great and I’m delighted for Doug (King), I’m delighted for the club and fans, and that felt good.”

Coventry led after 12 minutes when Wright turned in Milan van Ewijk’s ball across before a sloppy pass by Kieran Morgan led to Brandon Thomas-Asante doubling the advantage.

The Sky Blues then struck twice in two minutes to go 4-0 up as Rudoni’s deflected effort was followed by Thomas-Asante putting Wright’s second on a plate.

Rudoni’s neat finish from the edge of the box made it five before half-time, with Torp getting in on the act just 80 seconds after the restart from Ephron Mason-Clark’s lay-off.

Torp then thundered in the best of the lot from 30 yards for Coventry’s seventh after 66 minutes before Richard Kone scored the scantest of consolations for QPR in stoppage time.

Their stunned boss Julien Stephan said: “I think they shoot eight times on the target and they scored seven times, so I have never seen that in my career.

“But we have to just deal with the situation now – it’s finished, it’s over and we can’t change anything. It’s very hard to explain (the performance) and I don’t think it’s the best moment to explain and analyse the situation of the game.

“But this is a moment to say that I want to apologise to our fans for the result and for the performance. It was an unacceptable performance and I am the first one responsible because I am the manager and this is my responsibility.

“I just want to say to them that we will react very quickly and will see another QPR team next week, against Charlton. I think a derby is the best moment to react and show another thing on the pitch next week.”

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