LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY 3-1 COVENTRY SPHINX
Sphinx: O'Neill, Sullivan, Fowler, Wilks, Fletcher, Baxter, Cain,L. Downes, Williams, Downie (Hill 76), Jackson (Dyke 79) . Subs: J.Downes, Bilic, Cutting.
Loughborough: Hazlett, Downey (Turnbull 73), S.Baxter, Nash, Brenan, Wilkinson, Emmett (Lemmon 81), J.Hill, Poxton (Winchester 64), Beckett, Herbert. Subs: Sales, Musselwhite, Lemon
HT LUFC 1-0 CSFC
FT LUFC 3-1 CSFC
Ref: Paul Wainman. Assts Kevin Allen, Ben Warner
Goals Jack Poxon (19), Max Herbert (71), Ashley Wilks (86), George Nash (91).
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The Coventry Sphinx support were fuming with the match officials as they left the Loughborough University Stadium after seeing Coventry Sphinx go down to a 3-1 defeat.
With two changes in their side which drew on Monday night against Boldmere St Michaels, Sphinx started on the back foot when Jack Emmett got through and Carl O’Neill in the Sphinx goal had to save with his legs to concede a corner which Seb Baxter volleyed over.
Jack Poxon had a shot on the turn in the fifteenth minute but four minutes later was left with a tap in after Emmett crossed from the left to give the Students the lead.
After the goal, Sphinx started to grow in stature against an athletic Looughborough side who were used to playing and training most days, with Ashley Jackson working hard alongside Luke Downes.
Sphinx’s first chance came in the 38th minute when Adam Sullivan volleyed over and then a corner was won. Ashley Cain’s flag kick went across the goal but missed everyone and Loughborough were able to escape with a goal kick.
On the stroke of half-time and Cain fired over a free kick. The effort that Sphinx had showed in the first half was displayed in the second and although youngster Jackson Downie let some of the challenges that were flying in get to him, Sphinx were able to respond to the attacks that Loughborough tried to mount.
When they did get through, they could not get past Carl O’Neill who blocked in the 58th minute and five minutes later, after some neat skill from Jackson had played in Luke Williams for a deflected shot which had won a corner, O’Neill made a great diving save when Poxon got through.
Luke Williams poked wide before the Sphinx support turned on the referee Paul Wainman for not giving a 68th minute penalty after the feet of Jackson Downie had been clipped. Such was the annoyance at the decision that Luke Downes received a caution.
The Sphinx support turned their attention to the assistant referee on the Main Stand side in the 71st minute when Max Herbert, looking offside was first to a left wing cross and scored to give the Students a two goal lead.
Both sides made changes but in the 86th minute, there was something to cheer when Brendan Hazlett’s kick, whilst under pressure from Tom Dyke went only as far as Ashley Wilks, some eighteen yards out. Wilks gratefully took the gift and finished with a low drive.
The grandstand finish was on. Sphinx pushed forward but in the 91st minute, they lost possession and Students skipper George Nash was able to break through and fire past O’Neill to send Sphinx, who are back up the M69/M1 on Tuesday night at Quorn to a 3-1 defeat.