Sphinx Out Of Birmingham Senior Cup
Team
Wilson, Long, Holmes, Gaggini, Ward, McAteer, Muldoon (Husserbury 63), Jones (Williams 51), Sidhu (Hopkins 46), Donaldson, Phillips SNU McSheffrey
Solihull Moors
Singh, Midworth, Langdon, Gooding, Streete (Amoo 54), Olaughlin, Omwubiko, Eze, West (Smith 60), Dempster, Adlkins. SNU Johnson, Cunnington, Rachel
HT SMFC 3-0 CSFC FT SMFC 4-1 CSFC ATT 73
Goals Ross Dempster (2 & 37), Emeka Omwubiko (7 & 59) Kelvin Phillips (68)
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Coventry Sphinx went out of the Birmingham Senior Cup with a Second Round defeat at Solihull Moors.
Sphinx boss Danny McSheffrey included former Coventry City youngsters Vijay Sidhu and Bradley Jones in his starting eleven for the game which was historic in the fact that Sphinx had never got this far in the competition before and they took on a Conference North side at Damson Parkway, which included former City youngsters Andrew Gooding and Matthew West but not striker Adam Cunnington who has been in fine form since his summer move from Barwell.
It was a cold, bitter night on the other side of the A45, opposite Birmingham Airport and things started badly for Sphinx when a penalty was awarded by referee Simon Barrow with just one hundred seconds of the match gone.
Sphinx keeper Lee Wilson did very well to get his feet to Matty West's spot-kick but he could do nothing as ROSS DEMPSTER was left alone to curl the ball into the far corner of the net.
Five minutes later, both sets of supporters waited for the assistant referee to raise his flag when EMEKA OMWUBIKO, who was at least two yards offside slotted home a cross from the right. Unfortunately for Sphinx, nothing came and the goal was allowed to stand.
Two goals down, Sphinx started to organise themselves with Terry Ward and Jamie McAteer controlling the defence whilst Casey Gaggini and Brad Jones got involved in a midfield battle with Gooding and Henry Eze.
West, twice fired wide before he centred in the 24th minute for Sam Adkins to get in a shot which was well blocked by the Sphinx defence.
Micky Moore's side continued to have chances with Wilson forced into a cracking save to deny a 29th minute Omwubiko shot. But, there was nothing, Wilson could do when ROSS DEMPSTER let fly with a stunning twenty yard drive which flew in the net in the 37th minute for the third goal of the night.
Vijay Sidhu had picked up a knock and was replaced by Luke Hopkins at the break and six minutes into the second half, Danny McSheffrey had to make another change when Bradley Jones was injured in a tackle and had to be carried from the field of play where he was replaced by Andrew Williams.
In the 57th minute, Wilson made a cracking save with his feet from an Adkins effort to concede a corner and from that, EMEKA OMWUBIKO was able to stroke the ball home from six yards for Solihull's fourth.
Sphinx may now have been out of the competition and deservedly so, but they were not down and with Michael Husserbury going into attack, they came to life.
A 68th minute Caggini free kick was pushed round the post for a corner and from the resulting flag-kick, KELVIN PHILLIPS got the ball inside the six yard box and lashed a shot into the back of the net between the post and the home keeper.
Caggini could not find anyone to get on his 75th minute free kick and six minutes later, Arron Donaldson sent a long ranger not far wide.
Husserbury flicked wide and in stoppage time, Singh did very well to palm a corner for another corner but it was Solihull who progress into Round Three.