Callum Lang is Portsmouth's leading scorer this season with nine goals
Callum Lang scored all four of Portsmouth's goals as they moved out of the Championship relegation places with a stunning come-from-behind victory against Frank Lampard's Coventry City.
A tap-in from Norman Bassette gave the Sky Blues the ideal start at Fratton Park, but after the Belgian squandered a huge chance to double the advantage Lang restored parity with a hopeful shot that snuck into the bottom corner.
The Pompey striker then went on to fire the hosts into the lead at the end of a thrilling first half in which Coventry also hit the woodwork and had an effort cleared off the line.
Lang got his hat-trick with a header immediately after the break, and he pounced to make it four after Coventry goalkeeper Bradley Collins clawed the ball back off the line and into the forward's path.
Portsmouth's third win in a four-game unbeaten run at home moves them up to 20th in the table and within four points and four places of Coventry.
The ultimately convincing win not only came after a slow start, but also off the back of a crushing 4-0 defeat by Derby County just a week earlier.
For Lampard - who had overseen two wins, a draw and only one loss from his first four games at the helm – it was chastening first meeting with Pompey as a head coach.
In contrast, the former Chelsea and England midfielder had previously won all 16 meetings with the south coast club in his illustrious playing career.
It had started so well for Coventry, as a sweeping counter attack ended with Ephron Mason-Clark floating in from the left wing to fizz a low ball across the face of goal for Bassette to finish at the back post from point-blank range.
The Belgian should have made it two in two minutes, but he failed to beat onrushing goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid in a one-on-one after being set free by a long ball over the top by Ben Sheaf.
Bassette also created a chance for Jack Rudoni before Portsmouth hit back through Lang, whose fierce low effort from outside the box skipped off the turf and beyond Coventry goalkeeper Collins after the visitors failed to properly clear a corner.
Coventry had numerous chances to reclaim the lead, with Mason-Clark thumping a fierce shot against the base of the post, while Schmid did well to again bound off his line to smother the threat of Rudoni.
In two hectic minutes late in the half, Connor Ogilvie saw a half-volley saved before finding himself in the perfect position to clear off his own line after Bassette almost bundled the ball home as he stumbled through challenges in the box.
Within minutes, Portsmouth had the lead.
A searching ball from Freddie Potts, which Jay Dasilva failed to deal with on the edge of the area, allowed Lang to take the ball down in the box before unleashing a stunning shot into the top corner from a tight angle.
Lang was clinical in extending Pompey's advantage after the interval.
The 26-year-old first found himself unmarked from a corner to nod home for his hat-trick, and he instinctively followed up to make it 4-1 after Collins needed two attempts to keep Colby Bishop out.
The stranglehold that John Mousinho's side had after that was never threatened, with the game in added time before Rudoni managed to test Schmid for the first time in the second half.
Lang should push for more goals - reaction
Portsmouth manager John Mousinho:
"I'm really pleased that with that adversity in the first half going a goal down and almost going two down we grew back into the game.
"We were worth the win and probably worth a couple more goals. It was a comprehensive second-half performance and I'm delighted with the three points."
On Lang and his four goals: "Since Callum has come to the football club he has scored some big goals and he has been our outstanding player this season.
"The energy he puts in, the amount of running he does, his physical presence and it is about adding quality for him - today he added the quality and was superb.
"My only disappointment is that he didn't score more. It was really pleasing and he should be pushing for more and more."
Coventry City head coach Frank Lampard:
"The second half isn't good enough. It is the first one I've had here where I've felt like that, our performances had been really good.
"It was a clear show of what football, especially in the Championship, is all about. When you find a hard moment and you don't compete, then the result will look after itself.
"Heads were dropping in the second half and they now have to realise that can't be the way. We can lose a game of football but you can't lose the confidence and the desire to do something about it."
