Millwall 0 - 4 Coventry City

[dutchman]

Coventry hit toothless Lions for four to move second



Haji Wright led the way with a double as Coventry City handed Millwall a four-goal lesson at the New Den.

The American international grabbed a brace either side of the interval as the Championship's leading scorers cruised to victory.

Wright's goals were added to late on by Ellis Simms and Kaine Kesley-Hayden as the Sky Blues extended their unbeaten league record and jumped into second place.

Frank Lampard's side are now just two points behind leaders Middlesbrough in the early-season standings.

The visitors produced a professional show to seal three points against the goal-shy hosts who failed to find the net for the third time in four home league matches.

Millwall boss Alex Neil made five changes to his side - but Lampard chose to stand by the XI that had defeated Birmingham City 3-0 four days previously.

And he was rewarded with a display that maintained the Sky Blues' unbeaten start to the campaign.

The visitors were given the perfect platform when Brandon Thomas-Asante took advantage of a lapse by Tristan Crama, taking the ball around keeper Steven Benda to square for Wright to tap into an empty net just before the half-hour.

Although Millwall returned with a renewed sense of purpose after the interval, they failed to test Carl Rushworth until the last five minutes.

By then, Lampard's side had added three more to their tally.

Wright's second was the pick of the bunch. He fed Milan van Ewijk on the right before charging into the area to nod home the Dutchman's pinpoint cross.

Coventry added a third nine minutes from time when sub Ellis Simms flicked on a free-kick, Bobby Thomas hit the crossbar with a header before it fell to the forward to nod over the line.

And Kaine Kesler-Hayden netted his first goal for the club in the 87th-minute, swapping passes with the impressive van Ewijk to seal a comfortable victory.

Millwall went close when they hit the upright and Macauley Langstaff then forced Rushworth into a fine point-blank save but otherwise failed to exert any meaningful pressure on the Sky Blues' goal.

Coventry City boss Frank Lampard told BBC CWR:

"An outstanding performance at a tough place to come where they don't get beaten much.

"The focus of the team was great - as a complete performance from high pressing and a bit of control in the first half to being a bit more compact and dangerous in the transition, the team showed a couple of different faces today and good ones.

"We work really hard - we've seen progress for sure and I think the fans are relating to what they're seeing on the pitch with the players, their focus, their passion.

"It's going to be difficult to be where we want to be this season because of the size of our squad and the challenges that come with this league but if we can keep this togetherness and keep playing we can have a chance."