Frank Lampard hails ‘great point’ on difficult pitch as Coventry near promotion

Frank Lampard hailed a “great point” for Coventry on a “really difficult” pitch in a goalless draw at Hull as the Sky Blues inched closer to a Premier League return.

Setbacks for promotion rivals Millwall and Middlesbrough mean Coventry need just four points from their last five Sky Bet Championship matches to guarantee a top-flight return for the first time in 25 years.

After eight wins in their previous nine matches, Coventry, the league’s leading scorers, were unusually subdued on Easter Monday, with just six attempts at goal and Ivor Pandur pressed into action only once.

“It’s a great point,” Lampard said. “When you can’t have it all your own way, keep a clean sheet and get a point at this business end of the season. I’m really, really happy.

“Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves, but it’s a credit that with five games to go we’re in that position. The lads are all aware of it.

“Tension is a clear thing. I don’t feel it hugely with this group, I genuinely don’t. There’s been a couple of tense moments, where we weren’t our usual selves, but generally we’ve been good for that.”

Lampard also offered a withering critique of the surface at the MKM Stadium, which the Tigers share with rugby league side Hull FC, which he thought was bobbly and affected his players’ first touch.

“The pitch here is really difficult to play on, really difficult to play well on,” he added. “They’re used to handling it, I guess. I’m not making excuses for that, it was a fair point for both teams.

“Bits of it were cutting up. Soft, bare. It’s worse on it than what it looks like, I walked on it at the end.

“It’s not a critique of Hull because I’m sure their manager wants a better pitch because they’ve got good players but it’s difficult to handle. It can just affect the nature of the game.”

Hull counterpart Sergej Jakirovic defended the state of the pitch, deadpanning that Lampard and Coventry might enjoy more away trips next season if they achieve promotion.

“This is the best condition of the pitch since August,” Jakirovic said. “I think pitch was OK. In the Premier League, they will have better pitches.”

Hull, who have won just two of their last seven matches, remain fifth but were given a standing ovation at the end after repelling Coventry to claim an important point to boost their own promotion hopes.

“I think we played a very good game,” Jakirovic added. “Maybe there was a lack of better decisions in the last third. We can be more calm in the box and around the box.

“I’m very satisfied because we didn’t allow anything to them, which is great because they are the best team in the league and they will go to the Premier League.”