Yahoo Sports Mason-Clark far-post skill hard to teach - Lampard
Coventry City head coach Frank Lampard was a past master in his playing days at arriving in the six-yard box to score key goals - but he admits it is a skill that is not always easy to teach in the way Ephron Mason-Clark has taken to it.
The Sky Blues winger, who netted the first goal and made the second in Saturday's 2-1 home win over Hull City, has scored three of the five goals in Lampard's four games in charge so far - and his boss is very grateful to Mason-Clark for grasping his chance.
"To get him arriving in the six-yard box like he does, I've worked with some wingers and it can take a lot of time," Lampard told BBC CWR. "But he's done that for all his goals so far.
"The ball hit him on the face but it doesn't matter how they go in. It was reward for him getting there.
"It sounds simple but not too many can do it. And his assist for Jack Rudoni's winning goal was top level. That was even more impressive. It's been a great start for him in our time here."
"It's something I've been working on," Mason-Clark told BBC CWR. "To always be getting in at the back stick.
"I'm not sure exactly what it went in off. My nose, my eye, everything. I'm just glad it went in."
Mason-Clark might even have to move from his current wide left position when Haji Wright is fit again.
The United States international is yet to play under Lampard, having now missed Coventry's past six games with an ankle injury.
But that is a nice problem to have further down the line for Lampard, who has been rewarded by picking the former Barnet and Peterborough United player right from his first game in charge.
"He's a talented lad," added Lampard. "And I was aware of those talents before I came in. He's also humble and wants to work.
"All I've done is give him the opportunity and a bit of information - but not loads.
"The rest is down to him. He has to take the credit. He's been on form since we came in and I'm sure there's plenty more to come."
"I like to play off the cuff," said the 25-year-old Londoner. "It comes from growing up playing in the street cages. I like that kind of pressure, especially with the gaffer coming in and expecting it from me.
"He's done something for everybody since he came in. We've all had a fresh start. Every training session has been good to learn from."
Having now risen to 15th in the Championship table, seven points clear of trouble and 10 off the play-off places, Lampard's Coventry are back on the road next Saturday for his fifth game in charge - at another side in the bottom three, Portsmouth.
Frank Lampard and Ephron Mason-Clark were talking to BBC CWR's Clive Eakin
