Coventry City gave up a goal lead to be well and truly thumped as Portsmouth’s Callum Lang bagged all four goals to secure the hosts victory at Fratton Park.

The Sky Blues raced into an early lead when Ephron Mason-Clark took on and beat his marker before sending in a low cross to the far post for Norman Bassette to tap home from close range. The Belgian almost made it 2-0 minutes later when he raced clean through, only for the keeper to stick out his foot to make a block.

Pompey, however, were back on level terms 11 minutes later when City failed to deal with a corner and the ball was played to Lang on the edge of the box where he hit a hard and low shot, going through Jay Dasilva’s legs and beating goalkeeper Bard Collins at his near post.

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Lang then gave the home side the lead just before the break when he got the better of Dasilva down the left, cut inside and lashed his shot into the far top corner, beating Collins at his near post with his angled effort.

Lang then completed his hat-trick three minutes into the second half when he rose high to head home a Freddie Potts’ corner amid more poor defending from the Sky Blues, with Bobby Thomas guilty of not doing enough to stop the header.

Full-back Connor Ogilvie then sent in a cross all too easily from the left with Van Ewijk and Sakamoto failing to challenge the defender. Colby Bishop connected and forced Collins into a brilliant reaction save. But as the ball dropped down the keeper clawed it away from the line but pushed it into the path of the lurking Lang who tapped home his fourth in the 55th minute, with Luis Binks static.

STARTING FORMATION: 4-2-3-1

BRAD COLLINS: 4

Should have done better for the equalising goal as he was beaten at his near post, the ball going disappointingly under his body. Beaten at his near post for the second, albeit a powerful rising effort from Lang who lashed it in after beating Dasilva. Caught in no-man’s land for the third goal that was headed in from a corner. Made a brilliant save to deny Bishop but then clawed the loose ball away, only for it to go straight to Lang to tap home his fourth with Binks failing to react.

MILAN VAN EWIJK: 5

Made a good early interception to dispossess Lang and then released it early as City hit Pompey on the counter attack to take the early lead. Fouled in the build-up to Pompey’s equaliser by Bishop but it wasn’t given. Didn’t do enough to stop the cross for the fourth.

BOBBY THOMAS: 4.5

Got in an important block in the box to deny Colby Bishop early on but allowed Lang to jump and head home to complete his hat-trick from a corner. Made way for Latibeaudiere just after the hour.

LUIS BINKS: 4.5

Defended reasonably well in the first half, getting in blocks and tackles when required but was slow to react for Pompey’s fourth, which saw Lang tap home unmarked with the centre-back static and failing to read the danger.

JAY DASILVA: 4

Got forward well on the overlap, linking up nicely with Mason-Clark as City started brightly. Attempted to close down Lang for the goal but the shot went between his legs before beating the keeper. Let Lang get the better of him for the second goal when he was held off far too easily.

VICTOR TORP: 5

Involved in the thick of the midfield action and really effective early on as he won the ball back and helped link the play to the forwards.

BEN SHEAF: 5

Knocked the ball about well with some decent diagonal passes to spread the play and decent enough in and out of possession early on but not enough overall on a bad day for the Sky Blues.

TATSUHIRO SAKAMOTO: 4.5

A quiet start by his standards from an attacking point of view but worked hard and combined well with Van Ewijk down the right in the first half. Partly responsible for not stopping the cross for Pompey’s fourth.

JACK RUDONI: 4.5

Involved in the build-up to the early goal when he fed Mason-Clark and put himself about well but lik a lot of his team-mates, didn't do enough overall.

EPHRON MASON-CLARK: 5.5

Went past his full-back Zak Swanson and sent in a low cross to the back post for Bassette to score the early goal. Hit the post shortly after but less effective after that as Pompey mounted their first-half fight-back. Faded out of the game and eventually replaced.

NORMAN BASSETTE: 6.5

Tapped home at the far post to give City the lead with just two minutes and 30 seconds on the clock and raced clear minutes later with just the keeper to beat, only for Schmid to stick a foot out to deny him a second. Always looking to make the most of his pace with runs in behind. A real handful in the box where he arguably should have been awarded a first half penalty.

SUBSTITUTES:

BRANDON THOMAS-ASANTE (63 mins, for Mason-Clark): 5

Worked hard but unable to spark any sort of comeback at 4-1 down.

ELLIS SIMMS (63 mins, for Bassette): 5

Ran hard and put himself about but the game was pretty much done as Pompey saw out their victory.

JOEL LATIBEAUDIERE (63 mins, for Thomas): 5

Steadied things at the back but the game was done.

JOSH ECCLES (63 mins, for Torp): 5

Worked hard in an uphill battle to the final whistle.

JAMIE ALLEN (82 mins, for Sheaf):

Subs (not used): Oliver Dovin; Liam Kitching, Jake Bidwell, Fabio Tavares.

PORTSMOUTH (4-2-3-1): Nicolas Schmid; Zak Swanson, Marlon Pack, Ryley Towler, Connor Ogilvie; Andre Dozzell, Freddie Potts; Matt Ritchie, Callum Lang, Josh Murphy; Colby Bishop.

Subs (not used): Jordan Archer (GK), Christian Saydee, Tom McIntyre, Owen Moxon, Sammy Silvera, Terry Devlin, Paddy Lane, Harry Clout, Michael Ani.

GOALS:

POMPEY: Lang (14, 43, 48, 55)

SKY BLUES: Bassette (3)

REFEREE: Dean Whitestone.

ATTENDANCE: 20,330 (2,194 away)

NEXT UP: Plymouth Argyle (h) Boxing Day, Thursday, December 26 (3pm).

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