Rudoni's heroics edge Coventry closer to promotion
Jack Rudoni came off the bench and was the matchwinner for Coventry City as it defeated Derby County 3-2 to edge closer to securing promotion to the Premier League from the EFL Championship.
Second-half substitute Rudoni scored twice to ensure Frank Lampard's side won all three points at home, moving 11 clear of second-placed Millwall with six games to go.
Coventry took the lead after 12 minutes through Frank Onyeka.
The Brentford loanee combined with Romain Esse on the right wing before looping an effort over Richard O'Donnell and into the far corner.
Derby managed to get level shortly before the break as Ben Brereton headed in from Matt Clarke's cross after Coventry goalkeeper Carl Rushworth misjudged the flight of the ball and allowed the Rams forward to head into an unguarded net.
Rudoni scored his first just five minutes after coming on, showing great composure to send two defenders crashing into each other and another the wrong way before picking out the bottom-left corner.
Brereton got his second, scoring from the penalty spot after being felled by Rushworth, but Rudoni was on hand to put Coventry ahead again in the 80th minute as his first-time finish from Milan van Ewijk's cross found its way past O'Donnell and into the bottom-right corner.
After Millwall's victory over Middlesbrough earlier in the day, eight more points will guarantee Coventry a place in the Premier League next season.
"It was hard earned and well earned. I felt it was a big test for us, against a good team in good form, play-off form, fighting for that we're fighting for," a delighted Lampard said after the match.
"I'm delighted with the boys, they dealt with the game that was in front of them and, yeah, it's a big win."
Lampard also revealed what he'd said before sending Rudoni on to break the game open.
"I said, 'are you ready for half an hour?' and he said 'I'm ready for more than that'," Lampard said.
"The biggest thing is not just his talent, but his hunger to come in and do stuff with his team. The first goal was incredible and then the other goal is a clinical finish. I loved it."
Derby boss John Eustace was less happy, having seen his side concede what he called more sloppy goals.
"We've conceded really sloppy goals, not doing the basics, tracking runners and not defending well enough," Eustace said.
"It's just not good enough. We could have a lot more points this season if we had done it for the whole 95 minutes and we spoke about that in the dressing room."
