RUGBY TOWN 1-0 COVENTRY SPHINX
Sphinx: O'Neill, Downie, Jackson (Jays 88), Rooney, Jones, Banks, Downes, Blythe, Piggon (Dodds 83, McBride, Jephcott (Cain 55), Subs: Brown, Thompson, Bates, Taylor.
Rugby: Bodycote,Walker (Powell 55) Kelly, Towers, Ryan, Rowley, Clifton, Parker, Kolodynski, Liversedge (Glascoe 75), Warburton (Mills 70). Subs : Holloway.
Ref Simon Brown.
Goals Mason Rowley 45
Att 239
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Coventry Sphinx went out of the FA Cup with a 1-0 defeat at Northern Premier League side Rugby Town.
Luke Hopkins side had beaten Lye Town in the Extra Preliminary Round after a replay and travelled to Butlin Road on the back of a highly
creditable 0-0 draw at Shepshed Dynamo on Tuesday night.
Hopkins fielded a number of former Rugby players in his starting line up on a warm day at Butlin Road.
A good crowd saw both sides win early corners and Sam Warburton fire at O'Neill and Kolodynski fire into the side netting.
Mitch Piggon drove high and wide from the edge of the area and in the 23rd minute, Lewis McBride headed not far wide for a Sphinx side which was working well.
Former City youngster Craig Kelly, ran and shot wide in the 29th minute and three minutes later, a Piggon back header went inches over the cross bar.
Warburton won a corner for Rugby in the 37th minute which was headed well wide.
On the stroke of half-time, Sphinx conceded a free kick. Craig Kelly took the kick and Mason Rowley was allowed to head home.
Rugby had two chances early in the second half and in the 52nd minute, O'Neill had to make a tremendous one handed save from Liversedge.
Avun Jephcott volleyed over two minutes later before he was replaced by Ashley Cain.
O'Neill saved from Kolodynski from a 61st minute and a minute later, Sphinx won two corners.
In the 64th minute, the Rugby keeper somehow kept out a Cain shot from a sublime Downes cross for a Sphinx side which had Mitch Piggon putting in some fantastic crosses that just needed someone there.
Powell won a corner just before Rugby brought on their player manager which the Sphinx defence dealt with.
Rugby had an 82nd minute corner and Sphinx had one two minutes later.
But there were no more goals and it is Rugby who will travel to Ilkeston Town in the next round.
Pictures copyright of Covsupport News Service.