GOALS:
16’ Blythe (Coventry Sphinx)
28’ O’Grady (Coventry Sphinx)
49’ Faulkner (Coventry Sphinx)
57’ Blythe - PENALTY (Coventry Sphinx)
76’ PENALTY (Coleshill Town)

Saturday’s postponement at Worcester resulted in Sphinx needing to get game time into their players so they travelled to Coleshill Town on Monday for a much needed match against higher level opposition. It proved to be a very useful exercise with many of the first team squad performing well in a competitive game. Some Youth team players were also given an opportunity and all three of them took their chance well with encouraging performances from Dan Kelly, Alex Pearson and Mohamed Billy.

Lee Knibbs started the match with an experienced line up complimented by the energy of a couple of young forwards in Sam Jackson and Dan Kelly. Dan Kelly has been banging in the goals for the Sphinx Under 18s and has been a regular on the first team substitute’s bench in recent weeks. Tonight was an ideal opportunity to give him a start and he didn’t look out of place with a tremendous work ethic standing out. Sphinx opened the scoring early on with the returning Rich BLYTHE wasting little time in showing his class with a 20 yarder guided into the bottom corner. Sphinx soon extended the lead with another classy strike from Josh O’GRADY who placed a free kick into the same area of the goal.

Half time came and Liam Cairns and Charlie Faulkner both joined the play with Faulkner immediately causing problems for Coleshill. Four Minutes into the half, FAULKNER struck from the edge of the box to put Sphinx 3-0 up and soon after Faulkner was flattened by the keeper when clear on goal to give BLYTHE the opportunity to send the keeper the wrong way from the penalty spot. The fourth goal was the trigger for Lee Knibbs to introduce Alex Pearson and Mohamed Billy who are two young talents coming through the Sphinx junior ranks. Pearson has been performing well for the Under 18s with 8 goals in his 17 appearances from his attacking midfield position. Pearson did well tonight and also stood up to the physical challenge of the match. Billy has made a handful of appearances for the Sphinx Under 18s but he is predominantly still a Sphinx Under 16s player. Billy is a forward who has 2 goals for the Under 18s and has 17 goals in 15 appearances for the Under 16s. Billy did well on the left of the Sphinx attack and gave us some real glimpses of his ability as well being prepared to do his defensive work.

Different formations were utilised during the evening and to finish the game with such a youthful attack is a clear indication of the talent within the club. It was a very useful exercise for the players and management and a great opportunity to blood some youngsters.
FULL TIME: COLESHILL TOWN 1-4 COVENTRY SPHINX

COVENTRY SPHINX MAN OF THE MATCH: SCOTT LOWER
Everyone performed, including the youngsters who got their chance but it was the experience that caught my eye tonight. Rich Blythe slotted straight back in with ease and Josh O’Grady and Aaron Stringfellow complimented him well in midfield. The back line were excellent with the returning Scott Lower proving he still has plenty to offer this team.

COVENTRY SPHINX TEAM: CROSS, LOWER (Billy 59 mins), HUDSON, QUIRKE, GUEST, KAY, STRINGFELLOW (Cairns 46 mins), O’GRADY, JACKSON, KELLY (Faulkner 46 mins), BLYTHE (Pearson 61 mins). Unused subs: Jackson, Lower and Kelly

Coventry Sphinx return to competitive action on Tuesday 12th February when they host Chelmsley Town in the League Cup Quarter Finals.