COVENTRY SPHINX 3-2 CONTINENTAL STAR
Sphinx: O’Neill, Ritson, Hill, Guest, Atkins (K.Johal 49), Rhodes, Galdings, Jackson, White, Cutting, McNally. SNU J.Johal, Muldoon, Holmes
Continental Star: Hunter, Davis, Brown, Hunt, Hoyte, Green, Hazell (Gough 87), Garsley, Paul, Hamilton, Colonme (Whittingham 80).
HT CSFC 1-2 CSFC FT CSFC 3-2 CSFC
Goals Shane Paul 29, Harry White 31, Simeone Colonme 33, Kyle Rhodes 63 & 70
Referee Rob Cairns. Assistants Paul Tapp and Ian Croston.
Booked Rhodes, Atkins
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Coventry Sphinx fought back in the second half to take a hard fought 3-2 victory against Continental Star.
It was a cold night at Sphinx Drive but there was plenty of action from the start to keep the hardy souls who had turned out for this twice re-arranged Midland Alliance fixture.
Four minutes in and Sphinx keeper Carl O’Neill had to be alert to dive to his left to save smartly from Colonme.
Luke Hopkins side countered with a Jackson header and Harry White having a shot which Hunter in the visiting goal blocked with his feet.
Cutting and Hamilton at the other end had chances before Ricky Cutting ran on to a 27th minute ball over the top and saw his effort deflected for a corner which Rhodes headed over.
In the 29th minute, Continental Star, who play their football at Rushall FC, were ahead when Shane Paul turned and fired in a curling shot low into the net.
It was a cracking goal but so was Sphinx’s equaliser two minutes later which came when Harry White brilliantly, with his back to goal and twenty five yards out, volleyed in a looping shot on the turn, which flew into the top of the net with aplomb.
The applause was still dying down when Continental Star, who were quick on the attack with a number of pacy skilful players, went back in front thanks to a smart 33rd minute finish from Simeone Colonme.
The visitors who were far by the best team had a third goal ruled out for offside and had Shane Paul just miss the far post after beating three defenders.
Continental Star, who fielded a number of young players, probably did not want half-time as Sphinx came out with all guns blazing and won two corners straight away, the second of which was headed over by Louis Guest who was joined at the back by Ricky Hill when Ben Atkins went off injured and was replaced by Kyran Johal.
The impact of Johal and the moving of Hill, did the trick as Sphinx grew stronger and in the 63rd minute, they were level when Kyle Rhodes slammed home from four yards.
The visitors now decided to stop playing the excellent football they had been and too many preferred to argue with the match officials, who officiated very well.
Sphinx capitalised on this and in the 70th minute, they went 3-2 up when Kyle Rhodes was on hand from eight yards out to fire high into the net.
Colonme and Hazell had good chances to level and Cutting was denied by a good block with two minutes left as Sphinx, who are at home to Kirby Muxloe on Saturday, took a victory that looked unlikely at half-time.