Watford 0 - 4 Coventry City

[dutchman]

Simms scores hat-trick as Coventry win at Watford



Ellis Simms scored a hat-trick as Premier League-bound Coventry City waved goodbye to the second tier with victory over Watford at Vicarage Road.

The Sky Blues extended their season-ending unbeaten run to eight games to leave home boss Ed Still's position looking more precarious following reports that he could be facing the exit door after just 15 matches in charge.

Simms headed Coventry in front when left unmarked in the box, and after Nestory Irankunda hit the post for the Hornets, he doubled the lead by finding the top corner from 20 yards with an immaculate finish.

His treble arrived after the break, sweeping home a recycled ball after Egil Selvik had denied Josh Eccles, and Vitor Torp added the fourth late on to seal the home side's fifth successive defeat, leaving them in 16th place in the Championship table.

Sky Blues boss Frank Lampard rang the changes for their final game of the season, with only goalkeeper Carl Rushworth, Matt Grimes, Josh Eccles and Brandon Thomas-Asante retained from the starting line-up for last weekend's 3-1 win over Wrexham.

And the visitors had the first opportunity when Thomas-Asante shot into the side-netting following a cross from the right by Simms and Watford keeper Egil Selvik then had to make a flying save from a powerful Josh Eccles header.

The Hornets finally paid the price for poor defending as Jake Bidwell was given far too much time on the ball before delivering it perfectly for Simms to head beyond Selvik and into the far corner.

Watford claimed a penalty when Chakvetadze was sent sprawling after a surge into the box, but the referee ruled that contact was shoulder on shoulder and waved play on.

They went close twice in a minute, though, as Nestory Irankunda beat Carl Rushworth to a diagonal ball, took it round the keeper, but saw his effort from a tight angle hacked off the line and then shot against the post in their next attack.

But they found themselves two behind as the ball was fed forward to Eccles, who laid it off to Simms and the striker gave Selvik no chance as he shot home with pinpoint accuracy.

Still said on Friday that he knows what needs to be done to enable Watford to 'be in Coventry's position' next season but Simms' second would not have helped his chances of being given time to live up to those words.

Worse was to come as Selvik flew to his left to claw away Eccles' curling effort, but Victor Torp returned it into the middle and Simms joyously thumped it home to complete the third hat-trick of his career.

Lampard rang the changes as the Sky Blues looked to cruise to the final whistle – replacing Simms with top scorer Haji Wright - but the persevering Irankunda was close to a consolation as he flashed a shot just wide before receiving a harsh yellow card for sliding in on Rushworth as the keeper came out to try and gather the ball.

The final word, though, was Coventry's as they broke forward with five minutes to go and Torp fired home via the crossbar to add a final sparkle to their glittering season.

Coventry boss Frank Lampard told BBC CWR:

"Ellis (Simms) has got better and better, his all-round game today, his hold-up play, his running behind, the quality of his finishes - it was a beautiful hat-trick.

"These last three games after (promotion at) Blackburn, 5-1, 3-1, 4-0, they've really shown their quality, they're adaptable, can win games in different ways.

"They've made themselves into a real machine this season in this league and that's really impressive, goals, clean sheets for Rushy [Carl Rushworth], outstanding season.

"The way the city's come together and got behind this club - I had a thing on my phone the other day with a local school signing and all dressed in Coventry kit - those things are the biggest deal, when you can affect the community beyond the football pitch."