Coventry manager Frank Lampard was full of praise for midfielder Victor Torp who scored a brace as the Sky Blues beat Stoke 3-2 in a thrilling encounter at the CBS Arena.
Torp put the Sky Blues two goals ahead at the break before substitute Sam Gallagher scored a brace of his own to haul Stoke level.
But Bobby Thomas’ winner seven minutes into second-half stoppage time earned Lampard’s side a ninth win in 10 league matches in front of 30,011 at the CBS Arena.
Lampard said: “Really pleased with him, a midfield player that can score goals and have an all-round game is priceless for us and the balance of the team.
“It was my game, I suppose as a coach you set up the team and when you play with two eights who are mobile like he and Josh (Eccles) were today it has to be part of their game.
“I see it in training a lot and I work on those things because it was part of my game, but he’s the one who did it and I’m delighted for him and the impact he had on the game today.
“I’d prefer it was done and dusted but it can’t always be the way. I thought we started the second half pretty well but it felt cagey and you’re always aware a goal changes the game and it did.
“If we get the penalty we should have had, it wouldn’t have been done at half time but clear, and everyone in the stadium knew that.
“Their second goal was offside as well but keeping going when there’s seven minutes, they had a bit of momentum which we grabbed back a bit in that extra time so I’m just really happy.
“Bobby’s popped up with some big goals for us and that’s what we’re in football for, there will be times I sit here and I’ll be disappointed and there’s times when you know the Coventry fans in the stadium have gone away with an amazing game and an amazing feeling at the end.”
Lampard’s issue with the penalty decision was when Tatsuhiro Sakamoto’s pass over the top picked out Ephron Mason-Clark, who poked the ball beyond Viktor Johansson before being brought down by the goalkeeper. Referee David Webb pointed for a goal kick as the ball bounced narrowly wide.
Stoke manager Mark Robins claimed the goals his side conceded were terrible as he went back to the CBS Arena after spending seven years in charge of the Sky Blues before being sacked in November.
“The three goals were terrible and that’s where we’re lacking,” said Robins.
“We make really naive choices, we win the ball, knock it down to them in midfield, those are the things that are costing us in games and they need to realise that.
“To allow them to get a cross in, to allow Bobby Thomas to pick up a ball in our penalty area and allow him to drag it onto his left foot and then not stand in the way of a shot is unforgivable.
“We started brightly. We created three chances before they’d had a shot on target.
“Then their first effort on goal ends up in the back of our net. It’s too easy, we’ve allowed him to jump into our centre half, who doesn’t see him coming, and allows him to get a header and flick it into the far corner.
“We got back into the game out of nothing really, little bit of good play, they were sloppy, we capitalised on it, whereas if we’d have capitalised on the first three chances we had then it could have been a different afternoon for us.
“We could have caused them more problems, we turned it down, we were a bit negative and I don’t know why, because these are there for the taking, I’ve got to say they’re there for the taking and today we could have won this game.”
