Coventry Sphinx were made to pay for second half lapses and were beaten 4-1 at home by Oldbury United this afternoon.
Considering the England international kicked off at the same time,there was a decent crowd who witnessed the Black Country side look the better in the opening period of the Midland Alliance fixture.
After a slow start, both sides started to create chances with a great run in the 23rd minute from Jimmy Halton playing in Callum Woodward who missed from six yards.
Oldbury went up the other end and tricky winger Danny Hemmings hit the bar from the edge of the area,there was a scramble and the ball only went out of play when Leo Brown sent a bicycle kick wide.
it was another scramble four minutes later hich led to the opening goal. Nicky Pugh thumped the ball against the bar in a crowded penalty area, another shot hit the post and sent the ball rebounding out to the penalty spot. Up rose Matt Whitehouse who headed high into the net.
The Sphinx support were fuming with some of the cautions issued by referee Steve Sharpe and in the 48th minute, Mr Sharpe had the blood pressure of those on the sidelines close to bursting point when he booked Jack Cudworth who won the ball after his opponent had pulled out of the challenge.
Jack Cudworth had a goal ruled out but equalised in the 59th minute when he headed home from a perfect Robbie Stevenson corner.
Oldbury, who have ground problems, clearly wanted a win more than Paul Charnley's side and they were back in front in the 78th minute when Ashley Hooker came out of his goal and missed the ball leaving Nicky Pugh with an easy tap-in.
A third goal for the visitors came three minutes later,courtesy of Anton Johns who volleyed home from a cross from the left and a minute into stoppage time, a good break saw the ball played out to substitute Danny Yearwood on the left who beat Hooker with a low drive.
HT CSFC 0-1 OUFC FT CSFC 1-4 OUFC
Goals Whitehouse (32),Cudworth (59),Pugh (78),John (81), Yearwood (91)
Booked Hooker,J.Cudworth,Hemmings,Stevenson,Morris
Sphinx
Hooker,McGregor,Holmes,Halton (Woodhouse 48),McAteer,T.Cudworth,Hind, Rhodes,J.Cudworth,Stevenson (Owen 71),Woodward (Martin 57) SNU Ward,Fisher
Oldbury
Tilt,Price,Parrott,Moore,Frost,Whitehouse (Wikhod 69),Hemmings,Brown (Morris 61),Johns,Parker,Pugh (Yearwood 78) SNU Grant,Macfarlane