Coventry put five past Sheff Wed to go top of table

Brandon Thomas-Asante has scored five goals for Coventry this season

Coventry City went top of the Championship after putting five goals past beleaguered Sheffield Wednesday in a game that was briefly held up by protesting home fans.

The free-scoring away side, who won 4-0 at Millwall in midweek, took less than three minutes to take the lead when Bobby Thomas' header from a corner was converted on the line. Brandon Thomas-Asante was credited with it though the final touch may have come off Owls defender Max Lowe.

The match was paused in the 10th minute when a small number of home fans peacefully entered the pitch to protest against Dejphon Chansiri's ownership after a week that saw wages not paid on time for the fifth time in seven months.

Thomas-Asante then scored with a neat finish across the keeper before USA international Haji Wright tapped in a third just before the break, as the officials failed to spot he was in an offside position.

Substitutes Ellis Simms and Kaine Kesler-Hayden linked up at the end of an incisive attack for the former to make it 4-0 and the classy Tatsuhiro Sakamoto added another with a powerful finish.

Wednesday remain second bottom and are without a home win this season, while unbeaten Coventry climb above Middlesbrough.

Quality Cov outclass Owls

Despite their lowly league position and the huge number of issues facing Henrik Pedersen's side off the field, the team had generally been competitive in their eight previous league matches.

Only a last-minute equaliser stopped them from claiming all three points at Birmingham on Tuesday, a result which would have seen them climb out of the relegation zone.

However, they were simply no match for Frank Lampard's impressive Sky Blues.

There will be some question marks over his first but there was no doubting Thomas-Asante's second after the protest-enforced hiatus. The former West Brom forward showed good feet to dance across the area before finishing sharply across Ethan Horvath after Dominic Iorfa had been caught in possession 20 yards from his own goal.

Wright's ninth goal of the season should not have stood, with the striker clearly offside from Thomas' knockdown from a free-kick but 3-0 at the break did not flatter the visitors.

With the game over as a contest Lampard made all five of his substitutions with more than 15 minutes of the game left to play.

Simms netted after coming off the bench for the second time this week and then Tatsuhiro, who had played a role in the fourth, got his first of the season and Coventry's 27th from seven league games after the home side failed to clear a set piece.

Wednesday's best chance to get on the scoresheet came with the last action of the match but George Brown headed over Barry Bannan's inviting cross from close range.

The 5-0 result, which could have been more but for fine saves by Horvath from Ephron Mason-Clark and Sakamoto, matches Coventry's biggest ever win over Sheffield Wednesday.

What's next?

Wednesday boss Pedersen said that 11 first team players had not received their pay for September in his news conference on Friday.

Players, coaches and staff members will hope this is rectified in the coming days as the club limps on.

They face a trip to Charlton after the international break, while Coventry will welcome Blackburn looking to continue their superb start to the season.

Sheffield Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"They're a very, very strong team and we gave ourselves a difficult beginning by being one down in three minutes.

"I still thought after the second goal we had the belief and we continued, but we didn't have the clinical level they had, and then the third goal was a clear offside goal and it took the belief out of the team.

"We have to remember that we have to perform at our maximum level every time to get something.

[On the protest] "The general protest I understand, and I'm happy that it didn't take longer than it did and we could come back to play the game."

Coventry City boss Frank Lampard told BBC CWR:

"We couldn't ask for much more from the week with three clean sheets and a lot of goals.

"The circumstances of the game were challenging going into it and I was very aware of that and I wanted the players to be aware of that. The idea you can cruise into a game like this is really dangerous.

"We worked hard and we've had a good start now up to this point, and it's important we keep our feet on the ground, enjoy the moment, because it's been a good week and rest up and try and continue with this form.

"My message to the players before the game was when you're playing well you can't let it go. Top teams take advantage of that and I felt that in the group this week and there you go.

[On the protest] "It allowed us to address a few things with the players and I understand the frustrations of the fans. We all know the basics of what is going on here and I have no problem with it. It was peaceful as such and the game carried on. I have big sympathy for what is going on here."