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A Haji Wright hat-trick has helped Frank Lampard's Coventry City claim one of their biggest scalps this season. The American international's three goals ensured the Sky Blues recorded a dominant 3-0 victory over fourth-placed Sunderland at the Coventry Building Society Arena. Wright scored twice in the first half, including a penalty, before completing his hat-trick in the 73rd minute to take his league tally to ten goals from 19 games. It was a dominant display from Lampard's side as they peppered Sunderland with 21 shots in total, five of which were on target. "Every bit of the performance I loved, " Lampard said. "From the first minute in the first half, it's the best we've played since I've been here and everything you want from a performance. No real threat from them, really. "Then in the second half, it's a dangerous result but never felt too much like that. They had a couple of chances but we pushed again, we dealt with the game and we got our third goal. "So absolutely delighted with the team as a whole, the squad, great going into the break off the back of that. " Unfortunately for the Black Cats, the defeat ensured an alarming run would remain for at least another season. The 3-0 result meant the Black Cats are winless in their last 11 league visits to Coventry, having drawn five and now lost six. As for Sunderland's last win on the road against Coventry, that came in April 1985 when the two sides competed in the English top flight. For Coventry, the win marked a much-needed return to form having lost 2-0 away to Derby County in their previous Championship fixture. The victory also kept Lampard's side firmly in the hunt for the play-offs as they sit fifth on 59 points, two ahead of West Bromwich Albion and Bristol City who are sixth and seventh respectively. Although the Sky Blues remain ten points behind fourth-placed Sunderland, a sixth win from their last seven will have the Black Cats nervously looking over their shoulders. Since Lampard's first game in charge last November, the Coventry Building Society Arena has become a fortress for the club. The Sky Blues have lost only twice from 13 home games, one of which came against Premier League side Ipswich Town in the FA Cup. Coventry's surge into the play-off spots under Lampard is one of the stories of the season given the Chelsea great took over the club when they were 17th. But Lampard knows the job is far from done, especially since Coventry take on Sheffield United and Burnley once the international break is over. "Well we've come a long way from where we were when I came in, " Lampard said. "It's a really good run of accumulating points and improved performance. "We're in the play-off positions, that's great but there's going to be twists and turns as we go. "If we can perform like we played today, we'll make the play-offs. It's as simple as that. So the onus is on us to continue that. " © 2025 talk SPORT Limited

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