COVENTRY SPHINX 1-2 BARWELL BY KEV MONKS
Team
Holland, Goodbody (C.Wilson King 57), McAteer, Haywood, Ward, Kay, Muldoon, Rhodes (Kabongo 67), Kinder, Ruff, Doherty (Phillips 87) SNU A..Wilson-King, Bryce
Barwell
Castle, Laver, Knibbs, Green, Francis, Dutton (Watkins 60), Towers (Julien 60),Orton (Beard 77), Cunnington, Charley, Wyres SNU Potter, Rickhuss
HT CSFC 0-1 BFC FT CSFC 1-2 BFC
Booked Green, Kinder
Goals Adam Cunnington (42), Josh Ruff (75), Kev Charley (80 pen)
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Battling Coventry Sphinx took FA Vase Semi-Finalists and runaway Midland Alliance leaders Barwell all the way but went down to a 2-1 defeat at Sphinx Drive tonight.
Injuries forced Sphinx boss Danny McSheffrey into changes from the team that had drawn against Oadby on Saturday but there was effort a plenty from his charges.
In the 17th minute, the Sphinx support on a cold night were on their feet when a free kick from Kyle Rhodes skimmed off the crossbar and five minutes later, there were claims for a penalty when Terry Ward, whose performance for Sphinx tonight was immense, was sent crashing inside the area.
Barwell won two corners and the second saw Sphinx get the ball up the other end where Jamie McAteer headed just over.
Rhodes and McAteer both went close but in the 41st minute, Adam Cunnington got the ball on the edge of the area. He cut into the area before hitting an unstoppable shot into the far corner of the net.
Sphinx were nearly level two minutes into the second half when Adam Kinder's header from a Tom Muldoon cross whistled just past the far post.
Things got nasty in a game which had been played in an excellent spirit with Nicholas Green very lucky to be still on the pitch after he hacked down Craig Goodbody in the 49th minute. Neither Goodbody or former Sphinx winger Jamie Towers who was injured in a 59th minute tackle were able to continue and replacements were made.
In the 75th minute, Sphinx drew level when Josh Ruff got on the end of a cross and firmly headed past Castle. But three minutes later, Adam Cunnington was brought down by Declan Doherty and after a delay, Kev Charley put away the resulting penalty to give Barwell another victory.
Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM