Coventry needed 'smash-and-grab' win - Thomas

Bobby Thomas' goal against QPR was his third of the season

Coventry City match-winner Bobby Thomas says they needed their "smash-and-grab" win over Queens Park Rangers to believe their Championship play-off push is back on track after successive defeats.

Thomas' injury-time header edged Frank Lampard's side past the Hoops 1-0 at CBS Arena and into eighth place, one point off the top six before Wednesday's games.

Victory came after City were outplayed by leaders Leeds before crashing out of the FA Cup to Premier League Ipswich Town.

"It was nice to win after a bit of a tedious game. It was a bit of a smash-and-grab to win it at the end, and everyone will take that," Thomas told BBC CWR.

"We set up well and were aggressive. We kept working and punished them."

On a night when both goalkeepers made important saves, it looked like the points would be shared until Thomas made his late run towards the back post and rose highest to nod in Jack Rudoni's inswinging late corner.

"It was a nice routine. We practised it and it came off," Thomas said.

"It's down to [first-team coach] John Dempster - he works on the set-pieces so deserves a shout-out. We're all chuffed.

"There's no better feeling to snatch it at the end. It gets us back on track to what we're aiming for after a tough week.

"It was a bit of a smash-and-grab to win it and everyone will take that."

With seven more games to come on Wednesday, Coventry may find themselves further away from the play-off picture by the time they go to fellow promotion hopefuls Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

Because of the closeness of the top-six race, Thomas says it was vital the Sky Blues did their bit when they had the chance.

"I think everyone would say we needed to stay with the pack and that's what we've done," he said.

"It's nice to be there. It's not where we were at the start and we need to keep looking [to improve] and striving and get to where we want to."