COVENTRY SPHINX 3-1 WESTFIELDS
SPHINX: O’Neill, Sullivan, Hill, Fletcher, Fowler, Jackson, Galdins (Wilks 50), Bilic (Drake 82), Cutting, Downes, Dainty (Dyke 67). SNU Dodds.
Westfields: M.Gwynne, S.Gwynne, Gigilo, Glover, Selby, Sirell, O’Leary, Cuss, Halpin, Birch, Williams. Subs Jones, Wargen, Thomas, Agamen, Griffiths.
Referee Simon Lane. Assts B. Pettipher & P.Hewitson
Goals Ashley Jackson (6), Luke Downes (25), Ashley Wilks (72), Craig Jones (83 penalty)
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Coventry Sphinx were back to winning ways with a 3-1 victory against Westfields in a re-arranged Midland Alliance fixture at Sphinx Drive.
Sphinx Boss Luke Hopkins who had apologised to the support at Quorn on Tuesday night changed his team and gave Adam Bilic his first start after coming back from a long term injury and had Luke Downes back in a team which, took the lead in the sixth minute when Ashley Jackson curled home a 25 yard free kick.
The Herefordshire, who did not arrive at Sphinx until 7.15pm due to traffic in the Droitwich area, causing kick off to be delayed by ten minutes were taking their time to get into the game and Cutting was unlucky not to have got on the end of a tenth minute cross from Luke Downes who fired over two minutes later following a corner.
Galdings sent a free kick into the arms of Matt Gwynne but in the 25th minute, there was another goal for the Sphinx support on a cold night to cheer when Luke Downes surged through and scored with a powerful shot into the net.
It was proving not to be Westfields night at Halpin missed a sitter when he got past Sphinx keeper Carl O’Neill and rifled high and wide.
Sphinx who defended excellently with Ricky Fletcher and Matty Fowler strong at the back, dealt with a couple of corners before the break and kept things tight in the second half.
In the 67th minute, a flowing run by Rickie Cutting saw him unselfishly play in Luke Downes for a shot from the edge of the area which Gwynne blocked with his feet.
Both sides made changes befofe Sphinx scored a fortuitous third goal when substitute Ashley Wilks broke through, looking a couple of yards offside. There was no flag and Wilks continued. Gwynne initially got a touch on the ball but could not stop it from falling to Wilks to hammer into the net for the third goal.
With ten minutes left, O’Neill saved after one raid on goal and then watched as Dan Williams thumped the bar.
Sphinx youngster Callum Drake came on for Adam Biliic who had worked hard all night alongside Ashley Jackson, which broke up the play. However, in their next attack, Westfields were given a penalty which had the Sphinx defence and support complaining to the refere. Substitute Craig Jones took the 83rd minute spot kick and scored to reduce the arrears but it did not stop Sphinx, who are at home on Saturday to Stourport Swifts from taking a deserved three points.