COVENTRY SPHINX 3-1 OADBY TOWN BY KEV MONKS
Sphinx
Daffern, Goodbody, T.Cudworth, Knibbs, Kay, Stevenson, Donaldson, Rhodes, J.Cudworth (Hopkins 66), Phillips (Eggleton 89), Ruff (Muldoon 75). SNU Holmes, McAteer
Oadby
Connolly, Smth, Young, Parry (Cole 75), Hodson, March, Laxton, Cayless, Taylor (Joseph-Walker 69), Gunderlack, Phull (Osbourne 69), SNU Loach, Orton
HT CSFC 2-0 OTFC FT CSFC 3-1 OTFC ATT 46
GOALS Kelvin Phillips (2), Josh Ruff (29), Tom Hodson (51), Tom Muldoon (89)
______________________________________________
Coventry Sphinx were made to work hard for a 3-1 victory against Oadby Town tonight.
On a pleasant night at Sphinx Drive, the home fans soon had something to cheer when Kelvin Phillips rifled home a free kick for his sixth goal in three matches with less than ninety seconds of this Midland Alliance fixture gone.
However, Oadby who had been forced to replace their manager Matt Elliott after he left for Leicester City's Academy, showed that they were capable of creating chances.
In the ninth minute and with the Sphinx midfield not picking up, the ball was played through to Hardeep Phull who hit a cracking shot from sixteen yards but Chris Daffern was equal to it, diving high to his right to push round for a corner.
Four minutes later, the Sphinx defence were caught and Daffern was rounded. Unbelievably, Sam Taylor somehow fired wide of the target and Sphinx remained in the lead.
It was a lead that should have been extended when an Adam Knibbs header was chalked off but finally was extended just before the half hour mark thanks to some enterprising play from Aaron Donaldson who slipped the ball to Josh Ruff. The forward sprinted past his marker and created some space before hitting an unstoppable shot past the visiting keeper.
Two minutes after the goal, Ruff was involved once more. This time, he charged down the left and crossed for Phillips who had his shot blocked by a last ditch intervention.
Taylor forced another save from Daffern before Oadby counter-attacked from a 40th minute Sphinx corner and it was only a good block from Craig Goodbody who stopped the visitors from reducing the arrears.
Six minutes into the second half, Oadby did find the net when they won a corner and Tom Hodson was at the far post to fire high into the net from close range.
Taylor missed a great chance four minutes later to level the match four minutes after the goal before both manager went for changes.
Two of Sphinx's substitutes - Luke Hopkins and Tom Muldoon combined in the 77th minute with Hopkins holding the ball up and finding Muldoon on the right, as a defender came flying in. Muldoon took a touch and hit a low drive that beat the keeper but struck Connolly's left hand post.
However, Tom Muldoon was to get on the scoresheet in the 89th minute when he was picked out by Aaron Donaldson, to head unmarked from two yards out into the net to give Sphinx, who travel to Bridgnorth Town on Saturday a 3-1 victory.
Pictures copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM