Robins: Godd in heaven
MARK ROBINS has saluted Matty Godden’s strike rate as “phenomenal” – but says the forward owes a debt to his team-mates.
Coventry boss Robins was gushing in his praise for the 28-year-old, who netted back-to-back hat-tricks as the Sky Blues recorded crushing 4-1 victories away from home at leaders Wycome Wanderers and Tranmere Rovers.
Robins had high hopes for Godden (above) at the start of the campaign but the striker failed to get over a niggling ankle injury and spent six weeks on the sidelines recovering.
But he returned with a bang over the holiday period.
Robins paid tribute to the hit-man – but insisted he doesn’t operate in isolation.
The Sky Blues’ chief said: “Two back-to-back hat-tricks is phenomenal. You can see his quality in some of the goals he’s scored. His movement is outstanding. But to score back-to-back hat-tricks is some feat.
“He just needs to keep working the way he does. If he keeps doing that, not only will he score, he will create.
“But he’s a selfless worker. You can see that in him and it’s something we have been missing.
“He’s always scored goals. That’s his trackrecord. When he joined we didn’t know he had an injury problem. He didn’t know.
“As you move forward, it becomes more chronic. It’s been a blow to everyone, including him.
“He has been positive around the place but you could tell it was hurting, so to get him back earlier than expected has been a big thing for us and him.”
Robins added: “Jordan Shipley and Zain Westbrooke have been working their socks off to create chances for him.
“They’re both chipping in with goals which is great to see but there are others capable of scoring.
“We have to realise that. No one is getting carried away. The performances have been good and that’s something we want to keep building upon.”
Bristol Rovers haven’t reached the FA Cup fourth round since the 2007-08 campaign, when they went all the way to the quarterfinal.
Coventry City haven’t won three consecutive away FA Cup matches since March 1987 – the season they won the FA Cup.