In one of the most absorbing games of the season, Coventry and Middlesbrough played with the desperation of two clubs who know they may never have a better chance to reach the Premier League.
Haji Wright’s hat-trick sent Coventry back to the top of the Championship, just a week after Boro had replaced Frank Lampard’s side at the summit.
But this will not be the final chapter of the story in a season that may not be repeated for some time.
In most years, parachute payments give the clubs relegated from the Premier League a huge advantage, and the other 21 clubs have to scramble to keep up.
Not this year. While Ipswich will surely be in contention for automatic promotion to the end, financially-troubled Leicester are in the bottom three while Southampton are two points shy of the play-offs and 15 adrift of the top two.
Normal service will likely be resumed soon, making it much harder for clubs like Coventry and Boro if they cannot cross the line this season.
Haji Wright’s hat-trick sent Coventry back to the top of the Championship as they beat Middlesbrough 3-1
Coventry lead their title rivals by a point and are six points clear of third-placed Millwall; Ipswich are eight points back although Kieran McKenna’s side have two games in hand
At times like these, the main players need to stand up and Wright did so. He opened the scoring, added a second after half-time and shortly after Riley McGree had pulled one back for Boro, the American completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot.
After taking only a point from their previous three games to lose the lead they had held for so long, Coventry started like a team with a point to prove.
The game was not even two minutes old when Tatsuhiro Sakamoto found space on the right and his cross was headed against the post by Haji Wright.
Chasing a seventh straight win, Middlesbrough tried to respond and Morgan Whittaker fired over from 25 yards, but they looked surprised by Coventry’s ultra-aggressive approach in the early stages.
On-loan Brentford midfielder Frank Onyeka made an immediate impact on his debut, seizing control of the centre alongside Matt Grimes. That gave Coventry’s artists the platform to shine – and in the 21st minute Sakamoto delivered.
The winger performed a ‘Zidane’ turn to elude two Boro defenders and fed Jack Rudoni, whose cross was bundled towards goal by Wright and Sol Brynn could not keep it out.
It took about half an hour for Boro to find their passing game but though Kim Hellberg’s team looked fluent, they struggled to test Carl Rushworth.
Matt Targett’s cross found Whittaker at the far post and Jay Dasilva did well to block it for a corner.
It was a huge three points for Coventry after their three-game winless run prior to Monday
Despite defeat, Middlesbrough are well placed to return to the Premier League after nine years
The half ended with Lampard’s men on the back foot and Boro turned it up a notch after the break.
Yet just when they looked close to forcing an equaliser, Coventry doubled their lead. Luke Ayling failed to deal with Rushworth’s huge clearance, allowing Wright to gather and plant beyond Brynn from close range.
Still Boro did not wilt. Substitute Jeremy Sarmiento hit the inside of the post and then after some panicky defending from the home side, McGree volleyed home on the turn with Rushworth flat footed.
But the visitors again proved their own worst enemy as 17 seconds after the restart, Targett was ruled to have handled substitute Josh Eccles’ cross and Wright converted the penalty confidently for his third.
