COVENTRY SPHINX 3-4 KIRBY MUXLOE BY KEV MONKS
Sphinx
Cooper, Long, McAteer, Caggini, Ward, T.Cudworth, Muldoon, Rhodes, Phillips (Hopkins 68), Husserbury (Donaldson 68), Knibbs (Fraser 41) SNU Eggleton, Isherwood
Kirby Muxloe
Holyoak, Grady, Darliason, Mee (Dixon 61), Makhie (Dorans 27), Kerall, Law, Hill, Pollard, Preston, Wilson SNU A.Cooper, Mason
HT CSFC 1-2 KMFC FT CSFC 3-4 KMFC ATT 87
Booked Rhodes, Cudworth, Kerall, Law, Preston
GOALS Nick Pollard (11), Arron Preston (16), Jamie McAteer (25), Tom Hill (57 & 91), Kyle Rhodes (63), Danny Fraser (83).
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Coventry Sphinx remain periously close to the Midland Alliance drop zone following a late 4-3 home defeat to Kirkby Muxloe.
The proceedings were marked by a minute's silence to remember the passing one year ago of former player and friend to many at Sphinx Drive Paul Gibbons and Sphinx started on the attack with Tom Muldoon racing from inside his own half to play a neat one-two with Kelvin Phillips to force Tom Holyoak into a good save with his legs.
A good move saw Sphinx win a seventh minute corner but four minutes later, Sphinx were caught in possession and Arron Preston was able to send a thirty yard flick over to the right hand side of the penalty area for NICK POLLARD to drill low into the bottom corner of the net past Niall Cooper who had joined Sphinx on loan from Kettering Town.
It was being caught in possession that lead to a second goal for the visitors who are in a rich vein of form, when Sphinx failed to capitalise from a corner, allowing Tom Hill to break and hit a shot which Cooper got enough on to concede the first of two corners.
Cooper had made a great save to push the first corner over the bar but could do nothing as Stuart Kerall sent a 16th minute header onto the bar and ARRON PRESTON pounced on the ball as it dropped earthwards to score from close range.
The visiting supporters who were predicting a land-slide were to be disappointed as Sphinx, who are known for their battling performances, came back into the game.
JAMIE MCATEER scrambled home a 25th minute corner to reduce the arrears and some battling performances from McAteer, Cudworth, Ward, Long, Rhodes, Muldoon and Caggini kept Sphinx in the hunt.
Twelve minutes into the second half, the visitors hit a third thanks to TOM HILL curling a free kick high into the net from twenty yards.
But even at 3-1 down, Sphinx refused to lie down and got back into the game again. In the 65th minute, KYLE RHODES rifled home from eight yards when Kirkby's defence had failed to deal with a loose ball inside the penalty area.
Danny McSheffrey and Lee Knibbs went for a double change with Luke Hopkins and Arron Donaldson coming on and with eight minutes remaining, they had drawn level thanks to a superb run and cross down the right flank by Tom Muldoon being tapped in at close range by youngster DANNY FRASER.
Pollard had a goal chalked off for offside a minute later but in the first minute of stoppage time and after a Muldoon cross had agonisingly missed every one, TOM HILL was first to a loose ball and hit a shot through a crowded penalty area and into the bottom corner of the net to give Kirby Muxloe a 4-3 victory.
Sphinx travel to Rocester on Saturday.