Saturday 17th November - Sphinx Drive
RESULT: COVENTRY SPHINX 1-2 WALSALL WOOD
GOALS -
85’ Tolley - Walsall Wood
87’ Guest - Coventry Sphinx
90’ Roberts - Walsall Wood
ATTENDANCE: 95

A performance that deserved so much more than what they got. A win would have been just reward for what was arguably the best performance of the season but they were cruelly denied by a critical decision minutes from the end of a pulsating match at Sphinx Drive. What looked like a perfectly legitimate goal was chalked off in the 84th minute and the visitors promptly went up the other end and scored from the resulting free kick. Sphinx responded superbly with a fine Louis Guest header but Walsall Wood had the last say as they caught Sphinx on the break and won the game with a fine goal from Javia Roberts. A defeat that was hard to take after such a good performance but a performance that must surely offer a large dose of encouragement for future games.
Walsall Wood arrived in Coventry in good form and hot on the heels of the league leaders. An outstanding defensive record was also in their locker so Sphinx knew they had a tough game ahead of them today. Sphinx are handily placed just outside the top 6 and have an excellent defensive record of their own so a good contest was anticipated. That was exactly what we got with two good sides producing a really good match. Sphinx started well and set about establishing a good tempo to their play. Sphinx were having the better of things in the opening half hour but the visitors defence were standing strong. Midfielder Callum Woodward forced a good save just after the half hour but Sphinx continued to press hard for the breakthrough. They were nearly caught with a sucker punch just before half time with Tom Cross athletically tipping a long range drive onto the post.
HALF TIME: COVENTRY SPHINX 0-0 WALSALL WOOD
Could Sphinx maintain their energy levels in this half? That question was answered firmly with Sphinx continuing to have the upper hand and midway through the half Josh O’Grady clattered the cross bar twice in a matter of minutes. The first strike came from a free kick and the second was a deflected shot that must have left him wondering what he had to do to score today. Sphinx looked like they were going to run out of time but another corner gave them an opportunity on 84 minutes. The corner was swung in towards the near post and Charlie Faulkner stooped to head into the top corner of the goal. Just as the ball hit the back of the net, the referee blew for an infringement and ruled out the goal. No amount of looks at the video footage or match photo’s has offered any kind of explanation for the decision so I cannot tell you why it didn’t stand. Salt was well and truly rubbed into the wounds when Walsall Wood went up the other end and won a free kick on the edge of the box. Joey Butlin stepped up and struck the Sphinx post and Tolley was quickest to react to fire in the opening goal. A real blow to Sphinx and mentally weak teams would have accepted defeat at this point. Not Sphinx though, and within two minutes they were back level. An O’Grady free kick was planted in exactly the right place for Louis Guest to rise and head home a wonderfully accurate header. Sphinx were back level and going all out for the win but Walsall Wood broke down the left and after cutting inside, Roberts curled a fine effort inside the far post to steal the points. The visitors saw out the injury time and went away with a win. Sphinx meanwhile walked off wondering how on earth they hadn’t won that game. They will take the many positives of that performance into future games and if they reproduce that level of performance they will certainly be a force to be reckoned with.
FULL TIME: COVENTRY SPHINX 1-2 WALSALL WOOD
COVENTRY SPHINX MAN OF THE MATCH: CALLUM WOODWARD
A near impossible task to single out any player after such an impressive team performance. The defence were excellent as usual with Louis Guest right back to form. He also chipped in with a goal at a crucial time. Jackson Downie maintained his high standards in midfield and Leigh Phillips was a bundle of energy down the right again. Grandison held up the ball well and O’Grady showed his quality on the ball and was incredibly unlucky not to score. My choice is Callum Woodward who was at his inspirational best in the heart of the Sphinx midfield.
COVENTRY SPHINX TEAM: CROSS, QUIRKE, HUDSON (Jackson), DOWNIE (Rock), GUEST, STRINGFELLOW, PHILLIPS (Faulkner), WOODWARD ©, GRANDISON, O’GRADY, HARKIN. Unused subs: Lower and Shaheen
Coventry Sphinx return to action on Saturday 24th November. It will be new territory for Sphinx with a visit to recently promoted Wolverhampton Sporting Club.