Frank Lampard disappointed as Coventry draw at Charlton

Frank Lampard admitted to a tinge of disappointment after his Coventry side failed to convert chances in their 1-1 draw at Charlton.

The Championship leaders took just over two minutes to make a breakthrough at The Valley through striker Ellis Simms.

But Joe Rankin-Costello equalised for the Addicks in the 69th minute as they bounced back from Monday’s last-gasp defeat at Portsmouth.

“I’ve got respect for this Charlton team,” said Lampard, whose Sky Blues are eight points clear of second-placed Ipswich. “Teams will come here and find it hard.

“I’m a bit disappointed with the point because in the first half of the season we went win, win, win – everyone’s expectations go up – but there is also a reality of coming to a tough place.

“We had some big chances in the second half where we could probably make it 2-0 and then we would probably go on to win the game.

“We had a great start and it was a well-taken goal. I was very happy with that. It’s not easy to control these games because they can become a bit messy, direct and second balls. That isn’t a criticism. They are a team very much in the image of their manager – I mean that in a positive way.

“We had the cleaner chances in the game and we didn’t take them.”

Lampard is among the names being linked to replace Enzo Maresca, who left Chelsea on Thursday.

Asked if he could be back at The Valley again this season – with the Blues drawn at Charlton in the FA Cup third round – Lampard said: “Oh goodness me, we’ve got to play Birmingham in a few days – please don’t go anywhere with that line.”

Rankin-Costello, a summer signing from Blackburn, was only making his second league start of the season for the hosts.

The midfielder was in the right place to finish after Charlie Kelman’s shot was pushed back out by Sky Blues goalkeeper Carl Rushworth.

“I knew what he could do in the final third – that’s why I brought him in,” said Charlton manager Nathan Jones.

“But we had a good start to the season, it was difficult to bring him in. Sometimes you go with what you know and trust, I persevered with people.

“We suspected there was something wrong with Joe’s calf but then he trained and felt fine. So to put in that level of performance was outstanding.

“Joe has got four years here and in those four years I want him to be a pivotal part of what we do.

“It was an excellent football game – both sides were absolutely right at it, to try and win it. To concede after two minutes and put in the performance we did shows that we have got bags and bags of character.

“After their goal we were brilliant. We tested them, once we sorted the press out then we had very few problems. When it became open in the second half they had one or two chances but we had so many situations.”