Mark Robins heaped praise on hat-trick hero Ellis Simms after his first-half treble set Coventry on their way to a 5-0 Championship victory over basement boys Rotherham at the CBS Arena.
Simms claimed his second hat-trick in eight days after securing the match ball during the Sky Blues’ 5-0 win over Maidstone in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Joel Latibeaudiere and Fabio Tavares were also on the scoresheet as Coventry returned to winning ways after defeats in their last two league outings.
Robins, who celebrates his seventh anniversary in charge of Coventry on Wednesday, said: “It was a good start. Within the first five minutes, the goalkeeper has dropped one onto Ellis’ head and it puts us 1-0 up and settles any nerves there may have been.
“We blew them away within the first 37 minutes or so, Ellis has scored a hat-trick, Joel’s (Latibeaudiere) got a header from a corner…Ellis’ is left foot, right foot, header, it’s the perfect hat-trick.
“He’s not scored a hat-trick and now he’s got two in a week, gets his second match ball and that’s brilliant for him, brilliant for us, brilliant for his confidence.
“When he realises his strength he’ll be absolutely awesome. You can see he can finish with his right and left foot and that’s when he’s not thinking about things. He’s got incredible pace and incredible strength.
“Fabio’s finish was outstanding, I think Joel was above the crossbar when he headed it. It was just a really good performance and it was much needed.
“We needed the three points and to get it in the style and the manner we got it was really pleasing. The clean sheet was a brilliant clean sheet.”
Rotherham boss Leam Richardson admitted the Millers’ first-half display was the worst 45 minutes of his managerial career as his side slumped to their eighth defeat in a row, leaving them 19 points from safety.
Richardson admitted: “There’s some pretty embarrassed footballers in that dressing room right now. I will always defend footballers but that’s probably the worst 45 minutes that I’ve been involved in.
“You can accept mistakes. Vik’s (Johansson) had an outstanding season but you can’t stand games like this in the Championship. You can’t be soft, conceding three or four goals in the middle of our goal.
“We’re very aware of the situation we’re in. I’ve been here a number of weeks and it became clear very quickly the amount of challenges we’ve got at the football club, where we’ve got to move it forward.
“I’ll always back myself to move football clubs forward because I’ve done it in the past and I’ve got a really strong record.
“At this level, you’ve got to be really careful you don’t open yourself up to nights like this because the level is too big and if we’re not 100 per cent we will find ourselves on the back of things like this.
“It’s the first time that I’ve experienced it in my time at the club. I can make excuses for everybody but I’ll take the full blame for it.
“I’ll take it on my shoulders because I’m the man at the front of it and I’m the man who puts them out there.”
Let's start our Daily Laugh today. He's Henry. Oh, he's the new Henry. Palmer's reaction after Nicholas Jackson didn't pass the ball How people count from 1 to 7 in different countries Since Kylian Mbappe left PSG a year ago, they have...Won the one trophy he couldn't while he was there: the Champions League Knocked his new club, Real Madrid, out of the Club World Cup Ousmane Dembele: PSG's Superm...
The future of Luis Diaz remains a topic at two of the biggest member-owned clubs in world football, as Bayern Munich and Barcelona both pursue Liverpool winger Luis Diaz. The Colombian has left his future open on multiple occasions, and with no sign of a new contract on the horizon, Liverpool are stuck between a rock and a hard place.Diaz reportedly has a gentleman's agreement with Liverpool that ...
Tyler Dibling has a lot of suitors this summerThe 19-year-old caught the eye during a disastrous season for Southampton which saw them relegated from the Premier League with just 12 points.Dibling was one of a very few bright sparks of the campaign and may well make an immediate return to the top flight.The Telegraph reported earlier this year that the Saints wanted an enormous £100m for thei...
Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a fee of around £55 million ($74.7m) to sign West Ham midfielder Mohammed Kudus, a source confirmed to ESPN's James Olley.The Ghana international has agreed a six-year contract, with a medical set to take place in next 48 hours, a source added.ESPN previously reported that West Ham had rejected a £50 million ($67.9m) offer from Spurs.Kudus, 24, has an £...
Milan explore move for Leverkusen's BonifaceAC Milan have officially opened dialogue with Bayer Leverkusen regarding the potential transfer of Nigerian striker Victor Boniface, according to Gianluca Di Marzio.Boniface previously came close to securing a move to Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr earlier this year, but the deal ultimately did not materialise. With his future at Leverkusen uncertain, Milan...
Renato Gaucho's Fluminense were eliminated from the Club World Cup by Chelsea.Fluminense's trip to the Club World Cup semi-final should net Brazilian coaches more respect, the club's manager Renato Portaluppi said on Tuesday, after their improbable deep run in the tournament ended in a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea.The former striker, who steered the team to the 1995 Rio de Janeiro championship as a playe...
Yan Couto’s Club World Cup spark fuels Borussia Dortmund ambitionsBrazil international Yan Couto has his sights set on locking down a starting spot at Borussia Dortmund, with confidence high after a standout Club World Cup.The right-back featured in every match for the Bundesliga giants before their journey ended in the quarter-finals with a 3-2 loss to Real Madrid in East Rutherford.Despite...
Tottenham and Liverpool to enter transfer race for Parma defender LeoniParma defender Giovanni Leoni is wanted by several clubs this summer and now it seems like Liverpool and Tottenham have entered the race for him.The centre-back is only 18 years old, but has already made 17 Serie A appearances after enjoying a rapid rise in Serie A in recent years since joining the side for just 34.1M from Samp...
Everton sign Villarreal striker Barry: The fans here are crazy people, I like this!Everton have completed the signing of Thierno Barry from La Liga side Villarreal The 22-year-old has become the club’s second signing of the summer as manager David Moyes continues to make drastic changes to his squad ahead of the new season. Barry joins on the back of an impressive debut season in La Liga, in...
Arsenal U18 v Manchester United U18: FA Youth Cup Quarter FinalArsenal’s preparations for the 2025-26 season are underway, and one of the most eye-catching developments at London Colney this week has been the presence of 15-year-old prodigy Max Dowman in first-team training. The highly rated youngster was involved in the senior squad’s pre-season fitness and technical sessions on Wedne...
- 1 Five players ask to leave Man Utd including Rashford, Antony, Garnacho and Sancho
- 2 Diogo Jota's wife arrives at chapel where tragic star's coffin is taken
- 3 Daily Laugh - If Arsenal get Gabriel Heinze
- 4 Garnacho reveals he intends to stay in the Premier League after Man Utd departure
- 5 Lionesses captain Leah Williamson strips down to her underwear
- 6 Man Utd make shock move to Calvert-Lewin
- 7 Transfer news & rumours LIVE
- 8 Harry Kane, that's awful! England captain's error costs Bayern as Desire Doue & Ousmane Dembele send NINE-MAN PSG into Club World Cup semi-finals in feisty clash that sees Jamal Musiala suffer sickeni
- 9 Diogo Jota's family life with beautiful wife, cheeky sons, baby girl and dogs
- 10 Transfer news & rumours LIVE