Frank Lampard chased off the pitch as Coventry and Southampton conflict erupts in large brawl
Coventry City manager Frank Lampard was chased by Southampton players following their fiery 1-1 Championship draw at St Mary’s on Saturday
Southampton players were spotted hot on the heels of Frank Lampard following a heated match that saw his Coventry City team secure a draw on the south coast.
Tempers flared post-match as the ex-Premier League midfielder was seen applauding fans on the pitch. Lampard, who has steered Coventry to the Championship summit after a dream start to the season, was then caught in conversation with Leo Scienza.
His manner of speaking to the Southampton player incited some of his teammates to dash over, igniting a pitch-side melee involving players and coaching staff. The fracas marked the end of a 1-1 stalemate between the two sides at St Mary’s.
The Sky Blues initially took the lead courtesy of Ephron Mason-Clark, but Jay Dasilva’s sending off just post half-time made for an uncomfortable second half for the visitors.
Southampton retaliated with a goal merely nine minutes later, as Nathan Wood levelled the score, giving the Saints a glimmer of hope for a full three points.
However, they couldn’t break through Coventry’s defence late in the game, leaving both teams likely disappointed with just a single point each.
This frustration was evident in the reactions from both sides when Lampard’s jubilation over securing a point sparked confrontations.
Eventually, the two teams managed to disperse, with the Coventry boss making a beeline to celebrate with his travelling supporters, reports the Mirror.
Speaking to Sky Sports about the incident, Lampard said: “It’s fine, I understand when a player defends, in front of their own fans, defends the situation.
“But we’ve got this modern-day phenomenon where I think fans can say anything to you for the last ten minutes on the line and you’re not allowed to walk onto the pitch when you’ve got emotions high. That’s how I am, heart on my sleeve, I feel a bit calmer now.
“And apologies for my language maybe their stand will apologise for their language. I’m well and truly over that one, I got a bit heated, I think sometimes you take that 99 minutes and you’re hanging on and seeing the players do what they do, I feel it, we’ve lived it with them.
“I went on the pitch, that was my prerogative, I can look back and reflect on it but as I say, fans can say one thing, but we’re the ones in the arena fighting for something and we got a point.”
