QUORN FC 4-0 COVENTRY SPHINX
SPHINX: O’Neill, Sullivan, Hill, Fletcher, Fowler, Jackson (Bilic 71), Galdins, Cutting (Dodds 89), Wilks, Downie (Baxter 53), Dainty
Quorn: Pearson, Kerr, Young, Wakeling (Sibson 83), Dodd, Prenderville, Whymark, Heaton, Read (Allen 76), Turner (Brennan 73), Brown-Hill. Subs Cooper & M.Turner
HT QFC 0-0 CSFC FT QFC 4-0 CSFC
Goals Liam Read 46, 63, 66, Ricky Hill OG 59
Referee Minesh Gupta. Assistants Andy Parker & Stuart Fradley
Coventry Sphinx were punished for their defensive errors as they went down to a 4-0 defeat at Midland Alliance title contenders Quorn FC.
It started brightly at an excellent stadium in Farley Way, with a Sphinx side, which featured a number of changes that Luke Hopkins had said he was making following the 3-1 defeat at Loughborough University on Saturday and one that was without Ashley Cain who was at a press launch for a television show he is appearing in, having an effort in the opening seconds.
It was not until the eleventh minute that Carl O’Neill in the Sphinx goal was tested when he blocked from Liam Read after a Whymark ball had deflected to him.
Kiam Gladins, who worked hard for Sphinx, had a good chance in the 21st minute but flicked at Pearson in the Quorn goal, thinking he was offside but there was no flag.
Quorn won a corner before a sublime Cutting pass played in Wilks. However, a brilliant tackle averted the danger.
Liam Turner headed over following a corner before a Sphinx free kick went wide and O’Neill had to make another good save to push away a 32nd minute free kick.
It had been a good first half for Sphinx but 28 seconds after the restart, they were a goal down when Liam Read got past Sullivan and unleashed a shot which flew into the net.
Sphinx had no reply, so Kyle Baxter was sent on for Jackson Downie who had picked up a knock.
In the 59th minute, Quorn attacked through Read. Ricky Hill came over to take the ball off the striker’s feet but only succeeded in lifting it over O’Neill and into the net.
Four minutes later and Read was involved again. This time, he raced onto a Whymark pass and showed some neat footwork before firing past the helpless O’Neill.
In the 66th minute, the night got even worse for Sphinx when Liam Read completed his hat-trick racing through to score with a low shot.
With Thursday’s home game against Westfields in mind, captain Ashley Jackson, who had done a good job in midfield was replaced by Adam Bilic in his first game back from a long term injury.
Read left to good applause after pulling up and before the end, Luke Hopkins gave youngster Jacob Dodds a run out before the second half that Sphinx and their support will want to forget ended.