Frank Lampard leads Coventry back to Premier League as Sky Blues clinch promotion at Blackburn | OneFootball

Chelsea legend has been in charge of Midlands club for a year and a half

Coventry secured promotion to the Premier League for the first time in 25 years after Bobby Thomas' late equaliser snatched Frank Lampard's side a 1-1 draw at Blackburn.

Lampard's side only needed a point from Friday's match at Ewood Park to seal promotion but looked like being denied after Ryoya Morishita gave Blackburn the lead, before Thomas rose highest to nod in from a free-kick six minutes from time to spark jubilation.

Coventry last played top-flight football in 2001, when they were relegated from the Premier League having been a permanent fixture since its foundation in 1992.

The Sky Blues' lowest ebb came when they dropped into League Two in 2017 but they have fought their way back and, after losing to Luton in the play-off final in 2023, have stormed the Championship under Lampard this season to secure their Premier League return with three matches to spare.

They will have to wait to secure the title, with second-placed Ipswich now 11 points behind with five matches to play.

The draw may also be crucial for Blackburn's chances of avoiding the drop as they are five points clear of the bottom three after a fourth home game without defeat.

Coventry were on the front foot early on but Rovers should have hit the front in the 13th minute when Ryan Alebiosu's delightful cross found the onrushing Yuki Ohashi six yards out but he headed straight at Carl Rushworth.

The Sky Blues were nullified by their disciplined hosts but a deft Ephron Mason-Clark pass freed Jack Rudoni in the 27th minute and he skilfully evaded two tackles before blasting into the side netting.

Mason-Clark had a sight of goal just before the break but lost his balance when connecting with a powerfully whipped cross from Bobby Clark and poked wide.

The impressive Alebiosu broke clear on the right again on the stroke of half-time and crossed for Morishita, whose first-time shot was blocked by Joel Latibeaudiere.

Coventry started strongly in the second half and only a brave Sean McLoughlin header denied Ellis Simms at close range.

Rovers drew first blood in the 54th minute but it was messy from Coventry as Alebiosu was allowed to cut inside and Frank Onyeka could only divert his effort into the path of Morishita, who superbly steadied himself before lashing in from eight yards via a Thomas deflection.

Lampard responded with a triple substitution just past the hour which almost paid dividends as Haji Wright was played in by Rudoni but Balazs Toth rushed out to smother and Rovers eventually got the ball out for a corner.

The pressure intensified from there as Mason-Clark struck wide from distance before Wright swung a leg at a cross but Toth easily gathered.

But the Sky Blues got the goal they needed and it is Thomas who will go down in the Coventry history books as he rose highest to meet Victor Torp's free-kick and emphatically headed beyond Toth to send his side into the Premier League.