Sphinx
O'Neill, McAteer,Bevas (Hopkins 64), Halton, Ward, Kay, Mead, Rhodes (Kimberlin 77), Thacker, Woodward, Murdock. SNU Freeman, A.Wilson-King,Allen
HT MTFC 3-0 CSFC FT MTFC 4-0 CSFC
Goals Stuart Ellis (8), Paul Bowyer (16), Tom Ward (41 & 62),
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Coventry Sphinx have a mountain to climb if they are to make it to the Midland Alliance League Cup Final after a 4-0 defeat at Market Drayton Town in the first leg of the Semi-Final.
Sphinx travelled to Shropshire without James Holmes who came a father yesterday and a number of their more experienced players.
Paul Charnley's side were a goal down in the ninth minute when Stuart Ellis raced on to a ball from midfield and beat Carl O'Neill on his near post.
Seven minutes later, Town went further ahead thanks to a Tom Ward shot being deflected into the net by Paul Rogers from four yards.
The pressure from the home side continued as a volley from Duncan Horler was cleared off the line in the 29th minute.
But in the 41st minute, Tom Ward beat the offside trap and scored the third with a low deflected shot past the keeper.
Paul Charnley tore into his players and for the first fifteen minutes of the second half, Sphinx played some good football.
Sphinx's James Halton prepares to take a throw in
Kyle Rhodes who had a goal disallowed just before the break, hit the post in the 50th minute.
Two corners and Jerome Murdock firing wide when clean through in the 55th minute had the travelling Sphinx support hoping that their side would get back in the match but it was not to be.
In the 62nd minute, Tom Ward, who is being watched by a number of League Of Wales clubs,again beat the offside trap and rounded O'Neill to tap into an empty net.
Substitute Luke Hopkins went close just after he came on but there was no goals for the travelling support and now Sphinx are left with a massive hurdle to climb on April 7th.
In the other semi-final, Boldmere St Michaels won 2-0 at Highgate United