Credit: TNT Sports, Imago

Oliver Walton

Thu 12 March 2026 7:00, UK

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Ephron Mason-Clark deceived referee Lewis Smith with a dive to win a penalty for Championship leaders Coventry City in their 3-0 win over Preston North End.

Former PGMOL chief and FIFA referee Keith Hackett has exclusively told Football Insider that the Sky Blues winger should have been booked for simulation, instead of winning a penalty, at the CBS Arena on Wednesday night.

Coventry took another huge step towards promotion to the Premier League with a 3-0 win over Preston thanks to strikes from Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, Brandon Thomas-Asante and Matt Grimes.

They were two ahead at the break after dominating the struggling Lilywhites, with Smith then controversially pointing to the spot in the 49th minute after Pol Valentin’s challenge on Mason-Clark.

Replays showed that the Preston defender could certainly feel hard done by, but the damage was done as Grimes slotted away and Coventry cruised to a 3-0 win on home turf.

Keith Hackett fumes at Ephron Mason-Clark for ‘clear act of simulation’ vs Preston

Mason-Clark picked up the ball on the edge of the left side of Preston’s penalty area and breezed past right back Valentin before the Spaniard seemed to trip him next to the byline in the box.

Smith immediately pointed to the spot following the challenge, but replays showed that there was minimal contact as Valentin pleaded his innocence.

Speaking to Football Insider, Hackett offered his support to the referee for awarding the decision on first viewing, but insisted that Mason-Clark deserved to be booked for taking a dive.

“I can fully understand the referee from his position judging this as a foul and the award of a penalty kick.

“When we review the replays and the opportunity of a clearer viewing angle, you can see that there is no contact and the player has gone to ground in a clear act of simulation.

“Instead of the correct award of a yellow card for his action of cheating, he instead is rewarded with a penalty kick.”

Coventry are closing in on promotion after Opta’s supercomputer update

Their win against Preston moved Coventry nine points clear of third-placed Millwall, while second-placed Middlesbrough also dropped points in a shock 1-0 home loss to Charlton.

Football Insider revealed in January that Coventry were doing all they could to keep Frank Lampard in charge, amid interest from Crystal Palace, and him remaining as boss has obviously been vital to their title charge over the last two months.

The Sky Blues have now won six games on the spin, and Opta‘s supercomputer is now giving them a 93.72 per cent chance of finishing top of the Championship this season, with a 99 per cent chance of promotion.