Coventry Sphinx hit Leicester based Friar Lane and Epworth for four in a Midland Football Alliance game this afternoon to move to third in the table.
Sphinx, who have lost striker Chris Harris to Woodford United, had the perfect start when Luke Hopkins scored with only 25 seconds of the match gone.
Sphinx had kicked off and Friar Lane had not touched the ball as Robbie Stevenson and Jerome Murdock were amongst those who contributed to an excellent build up to play in Hopkins who slipped the ball past Ben Hall in the home goal.
In the 19th minute, Paul Charnley's side went further ahead as Jerome Murdock stayed on his feet after capitalising on a through ball and created space for himselft to steer the ball into the net.
On the half hour mark, the visiting support were delighted when referee Mr Rolfe from Bedworth, awarded Sphinx a free kick some twenty yards out after Murdock had been fouled. Robbie Stevenson took the kick and curled the ball round the wall and into the keepers's bottom right corner of the net.
Sphinx in red
Friar Lane had only one chance in the first half and this game in the 36th minute when Danny Hodgkinson raced through and lobbed the ball over the advancing Chris Daffern. The former Chesterfield player looked on as Ashley Wilks darted back to his goal line to clear.
Just before the break, Hopkins was denied by a save from Bell as Sphinx went into the break three goals to the good.
Alan Brett's side tightened things up in the second half but could have been five down by the hour mark when Robbie Stevenson went close with two long range efforts.
In the 70th minute, Sphinx skipper Dave Drennan added a fourth slotting home a ball from the right, from the edge of the area.
You could be forgiven for thinking that was the end of the action but in the 77th minute, Sphinx were reduced to ten men when Jimmy Halton who had a fine game up until that point was sent off for handling the ball to deny Andy Smith,a goalscoring opportunity. Chris Daffern made a brilliant save to stop the ball from going in so Mr Rolfe awarded a penalty and gave Halton a straight red card.
John Chapman took the spot kick but Daffern dived to his right to make a superb save to force the ball out for a corner.
The Sphinx management team and supporters were livid as Andy Smith was clearly seen to headbutt a player. However, the Leicestershire based assistant referee nearest to the incident claimed he saw nothing despite Mr Rolfe cautioning both Smith and Jamie McAteer.
The aforementioned assistant then missed a stamp on the hand of Murdock after he had been pulled down by Chapman but the game ended with the players shaking hands and another victory for Sphinx.
Sphinx
Daffern, Halton (sent off 77), McAteer, Drennan,Ward (Mead 74),Wilks, Woodward, Rhodes,Hopkins (Carpenter 70),Stevenson (Harri 66),Murdock SNU Barrett
Friar Lane
Hall, McDonald,Smith,Brett,Dignam,Turner,Trevor (Robbin 63), Hodgkinson, Phillips (Chapman 57),Stevenson,Gibbons
Midland Alliance scores
Barwell 2-2 Oadby, Biddulph 0- Oldbury, Boldmere SM 2-3 Causeway, Bridgnorth 0-4 Shifnal, Coalville 2-0 Coleshill, Highgate 1-1 Alvechurch, Market Drayton 2-1 Tipton,Rocester 0-2 Cradley, Studley 1-0 Stratford, Westfields 6-0 RC Warwick