Coventry stay 10 points clear at top after beating Charlton

Coventry maintained their 10-point lead at the top of the Championship with a 3-1 victory over Charlton.

Harvey Knibbs put the visitors ahead before Josh Eccles and Ellis Simms completed a first-half turnaround for the Sky Blues.

Simms added his second with 15 minutes to go to make it five goals in three games for the Sky Blues front man.

The Addicks, who have now conceded 11 in their last three outings, were handed a fourth defeat in a row after losses to Wrexham, Southampton and Stoke.

Frank Lampard’s side went behind for a third home game in succession when Thomas Kaminski hoisted a free-kick into the Coventry penalty area.

Tyreece Campbell’s shot was deflected into the path of Knibbs, who calmly finished to net his first goal since August.

Nathan Jones’ side almost doubled their lead through captain Lloyd Jones, whose goal-bound header was cleared off the line by Bobby Thomas.

The league leaders immediately broke through Milan van Ewijk, who was in on goal when he was stopped by Amari’i Bell with the CBS Arena up in arms claiming for a penalty.

The lively Campbell then squared for Isaac Olaofe, who was centimetres away from tapping in a second for Charlton.

Bell was returning from an injury lay-off suffered against Swansea at the start of the month and had to be replaced inside half an hour in a blow to Charlton, which led to a significant reshuffle.

Coventry took full advantage and levelled on 40 minutes when Ephron Mason-Clark laid off to Eccles, who picked out the bottom corner.

Coventry had scored 18 set-piece goals so far this season, eight more than anyone else in the league, and had already shown their prowess when Kaminski parried Thomas’ header over the bar.

Three minutes after Eccles’ leveller, Victor Torp’s inswinging corner was met by Simms, who rose highest to head beyond Kaminski from close range.

Coventry started the day having scored 18 more goals than any other side in the Championship and went hunting a third goal for the fourth consecutive home game.

Simms wasn’t able to get a full connection on his effort, while Torp saw his attempt comfortably held by Kaminski.

Lampard was without first-choice attackers Haji Wright, Brandon Thomas-Asante and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto as the latter pair went off injured at Middlesbrough in the week, paving the way for Jack Rudoni to make his first start since a calf injury in September.

It was the midfielder’s shot that forced the third as Kaminski’s save fell kindly for Simms to tap home Coventry’s 50th league goal of the season.

Thomas almost put the icing on the cake for Coventry when his effort came back off the post with five minutes to go, but the Sky Blues recorded their 13th win of the season to mark Lampard’s first anniversary in charge at the CBS Arena.