Lampard hails City battlers for overcoming adversity

'IT'S A GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR THEM, GETTING THROUGH THIS ROUGH PATCH, BUT WE CAN'T RELAX ON WHAT WE'VE ACHIEVED'

- By BRIAN DICK Football Writer

Jack Rudoni completed a superb fightback against Sheffield United

FRANK Lampard believes Coventry City’s players will benefit from having gone through adversity and come out the other side to regain their stranglehold on the Championship promotion race.

The Sky Blues go into this afternoon’s meeting with Mark Robins’ Stoke City five points clear at the top of the table - and with Middlesbrough not playing until Monday night that could even be eight by close of play tonight.

With 11 games remaining that would be a confidence-inspiring lead, especially given the fact Lampard’s team saw their double-digit advantage eroded through January and slipped to second just 17 days ago.

City have responded like champions and Lampard thinks having come through the setback, his players can view the experience as a good one.

“I think it’s expected to have a challenging time, most teams do,” he told the Coventry Telegraph.