Phil Parkinson reveled in a “statement performance and win” as Wrexham ended Coventry’s unbeaten record — the last one in the English Football League — with a 3-2 home victory Friday.
Kieffer Moore finished with a perfect hat trick — right foot, left foot, header — as Wrexham recovered from Ephron Mason-Clark’s fine first-half finish to storm back after the break.
Moore’s first hat trick since August 2018 gave Wrexham a 3-1 lead before Tatsuhiro Sakamoto grabbed a late consolation for the Sky Blues.
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“It’s definitely a statement performance and win for us,” said Wrexham boss Parkinson, whose side’s previous Championship wins after their third consecutive promotion had come at home to Oxford and away to Millwall and Norwich.
“Not a statement to anyone else, but for ourselves. I said after the Middlesbrough game [a 1-1 away draw] that it should give us even more belief because it’s been growing.
“We’ve had some terrific performances, but I’m very pleased because this was against an excellent side.
“If you look at Coventry’s stats, not just the wins, they’re at the top of everything. They’ve got players in a really good vein of form at the moment.”
Moore has nine goals for his club this season, and Wrexham’s win moved them to 11th place ahead of the weekend’s Championship action.
“I keep saying to everyone, we’re not here to stop the opposition,” said Parkinson, whose side lost at home to League One Cardiff in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday. “We’re here to play in a disciplined manner without the ball. But I’ve got great belief in these players, and some of the football we played was at a very high level.
“In fairness to the crowd, they clapped the team off at halftime, and you could sense that positivity coming out in the second half.
“The lads have responded in terrific fashion.”
Coventry had won their previous six games and were one short of setting a club record for consecutive league wins.
The Sky Blues remain three points ahead of Middlesbrough, who have a game in hand at Watford on Saturday.
“We dropped our standards a bit and when that happens, you can lose a game,” Coventry manager Frank Lampard said. “You have to credit the opposition, they made it difficult for us, but even in the first half at 1-0, I felt we were a bit off it.
“A game like this can run away from you, so it’s normal. The season’s not been normal so far, but unfortunately, tonight it was.
“It’s just a reality of football, so we have to make sure that we suck it up a bit and then understand if you drop a bit, then it’s going to happen.”