The dismissal of midfielder Kyle Rhodes cost Coventry Sphinx a victory in their final away Midland Alliance game of the season at Alvechurch.
Paul Charnley again struggled for players with ten players injured or unavailable and was forced to name himself on the bench against an Alvechurch side whose manager Shaun Cunnington resigned just before the kick off.
On a pitch devoid of grass in many areas, Sphinx controlled the first half. Luke Hopkins, who has been scoring for fun for Sphinx Reserves, was given his first start of the season and assisted in a number of attacks along with Tom Maguire and Jerome Murdock (pictured below).
It was Murdock who put Sphinx ahead in the 16th minute when he broke down the right channel and slipped the ball under the diving keeper.
Sphinx continued going forward and Church keeper Josh Coney made a geat save to deny Kyle Rhodes in the 23rd minute.
Rhodes was cautioned for dissent and four minutes into the second half, he was sent off for handling the ball following a Casey Caggini free kick.
Alvechurch started to make the most of their numerical advantage and were level on the hour mark when Lee Chilton rifled home from eight yards.
A second goal for the home side,who were once involved in a FA cup marathon tie which lasted eleven hours and six matches, came five minutes later as Sam Hawker bundled in.
In the 68th minute, Callum Gittings burst through to score with a good finish.
Caggini limped off with a chipped bone in his foot and with Robbie Stevenson already having limped off with a foot problem, Paul Charnley was forced to make his first appearance in eighteen months.
The Sphinx boss had one effort saved by Coney as Sphinx played some good football but could not stop Alvechurch from becoming only the fourth side in the Midland Alliance to come back to win after conceding the first goal.
HT ALV 0-1 SPH FT ALV 3-1 SPH ATT 37
Sphinx
Daffern, McAteer,Knibbs,Caggini (Charnley 71), Ward,Haywood, Maguire, Rhodes (sent off 49), Hopkins,Stevenson (Scott 48),Murdock
Paul Charnley again struggled for players with ten players injured or unavailable and was forced to name himself on the bench against an Alvechurch side whose manager Shaun Cunnington resigned just before the kick off.
On a pitch devoid of grass in many areas, Sphinx controlled the first half. Luke Hopkins, who has been scoring for fun for Sphinx Reserves, was given his first start of the season and assisted in a number of attacks along with Tom Maguire and Jerome Murdock (pictured below).
It was Murdock who put Sphinx ahead in the 16th minute when he broke down the right channel and slipped the ball under the diving keeper.
Sphinx continued going forward and Church keeper Josh Coney made a geat save to deny Kyle Rhodes in the 23rd minute.
Rhodes was cautioned for dissent and four minutes into the second half, he was sent off for handling the ball following a Casey Caggini free kick.
Alvechurch started to make the most of their numerical advantage and were level on the hour mark when Lee Chilton rifled home from eight yards.
A second goal for the home side,who were once involved in a FA cup marathon tie which lasted eleven hours and six matches, came five minutes later as Sam Hawker bundled in.
In the 68th minute, Callum Gittings burst through to score with a good finish.
Caggini limped off with a chipped bone in his foot and with Robbie Stevenson already having limped off with a foot problem, Paul Charnley was forced to make his first appearance in eighteen months.
The Sphinx boss had one effort saved by Coney as Sphinx played some good football but could not stop Alvechurch from becoming only the fourth side in the Midland Alliance to come back to win after conceding the first goal.
HT ALV 0-1 SPH FT ALV 3-1 SPH ATT 37
Sphinx
Daffern, McAteer,Knibbs,Caggini (Charnley 71), Ward,Haywood, Maguire, Rhodes (sent off 49), Hopkins,Stevenson (Scott 48),Murdock