Four-star Callum Lang puts Portsmouth in dreamland with Coventry City demolition

The Scouser returned the first quartet of goals from a Blues player in 20 years, with an incredible solo showing in the 4-1 romp at a jubilant Fratton Park.

Not since Yakubu put Middlesbrough to the sword on the final day of the 2003-04 season has a player wearing the start and crescent delivered such an awe-inspiring performance.

And the demolition job sees John Mousinho’s side out of the bottom three on an afternoon to savour against Frank Lampard’s shell-shocked Sky Blues.

It proved a cracking first half of football played at a pace with both sides threatening but looking equally vulnerable.

Pompey were rightly aggrieved for the opener as Lang appeared to be fouled before Ephron Mason Clark beat Zak Swanson to the byline, though Norman Bassette was marginally office as he tapped home.

Nicolas Schmid then impressively denied Bassette in a one on one, before the leveller arrived in the 15th minute.

It was all about Bishop’s graft as he knocked Milan van Ewijk off the ball and cut it back for Lang to beat Collins at the near post from the edge of the box.

Mason Clark was then denied by a combination of Schmid and the post, before Bassette fired wide in the 26th minute.

Connor Ogilvie fired another dangerous cross from Matt Ritchie at Collins in the 38th minute, before the second arrived two minutes before the break.

It was an absolute peach from Lang, too, as his aggression saw him win Freddie Potts’ ball in and absolutely leather the ball into the roof of the net on the angle in the box.

Lang collected the match ball three minutes after the restart as he nodded home Freddie Potts’ corner unopposed.

And he then incredibly bagged a fourth in the 55th minute as Collins denied Bishop with a superb stop and follow-up swipe, before the Scouser lashed in the loose ball

Josh Murphy hit a vicious dipping 20 yarder just over before being given a standing ovation when replaced by Paddy Lane.

From there it was cruise control for the Blues, as they eased home with the game firmly in their grasp.

Lang was given a standing ovation from all four sides of the ground for his incredible goalscoring feat, when replaced by Owen Moxon with eight minutes left.

The result lifts Pompey to 20th in the table ahead of this afternoon’s Championship fixtures.