Tipton returned to League action after a valiant midweek effort against the Walsall youngsters in the Birmingham Senior Cup to whom they lost by a solitary goal.
Sadly for them and their supporters their energy levels and commitment never really reached the same plateau against visiting Coventry Sphinx who, after a scare or two themselves, left the Black Country with three much needed points.
Tipton began brightly in the opening minute, Matt Martin's finely weighted chip into the opposing penalty area finding Karl Edwards who was thwarted by Jackson for the visitors who blocked the goalbound effort.
Sphinx hit back strongly in the 7th min., Muldoon driving against the home defensive wall. Tipton replied straightway, Adam Wattley carving out an opening but seeing visiting 'keeper Furlong superbly tip the midfielder's goal bound drive over the top for a corner from which centre-back, Paul Henley, headed barely inches wide.
However Sphinx soon came again, agonisingly seeing an attack upon the home goal scrappily cleared after the ball had struck the underside of the crossbar. Sphinx were certainly belying their current League position - 20th as opposed to Tipton's 7th - and were causing the home side many problems. However Tipton hit back strongly in the 18th minute., a move down the right wing culminating in Mike Wardle firing in a tremendous effort only to see Furlong make an equally spectacular save.
Tipton, at this point still in confident mood, next went close when Martin's low cross played in Nathan Waite and Karl Edwards but the visiting rear-guard repelled the move, though with some difficulty. After Jake Foster had prevented the lively Christie from making any telling progress it next fell to Chris Wattley to nullify the growing threat from visiting Sphinx.
Tipton were desperately unlucky in the 27th min. when Paul Henley's towering header beat the Sphinx stopper, Furlong, but was scrambled away for a corner by Jackson.
Sphinx took the lead in the 29th. min., deserved upon the balance of play, when Jackson cleverly fooled the home defence by driving a free kick just inside Tipton 'keeper Page's left hand post, the home defence being outwitted into expecting a cross.
Tipton were knocked out of their stride at this setback but, in truth, they had treated their lowly opponents far too lightly.
The home side's woes were further compounded in the 35th minute when smart play by the visitors spread-eagled the home defence leaving Muldoon the simple task of stroking home Ajabades inch perfect cross. Edwards and Waite rallied briefly for Tipton but Furlong denied them both before Jake Foster, with help from Mitch Plows, prevented the home side from shipping yet another first half goal in the 42nd minute expertly halting Unitt's threatening surge.
During the break Tipton took off Waite and Martin, replacing them with Lewis Haycock and Nigel Penney in a bid to freshen things up but the home side had a mountain to climb by the 54th minute when they conceded a third. Adam Wattley's foul set up a free kick some 25 yards out for Sphinx and Jack Taylor's rising drive was all too good for home 'keeper Page.
Tipton finally drew blood of their own soon afterwards when Adam Wattley orchestrated a move which saw a gleeful Karl Edwards give the home side a lifeline. Thereafter assault upon assault rained upon the visiting goal, 'keeper Furlong and his suddenly hard-pressed defence blocking shot after shot in order to preserve their advantage. Chris Watley gave way to Max Black in the 71st min. and the youngster was quickly playede in on goal by Mike Wardle but 'keeper Furlong held firm.
As the game neared it's conclusion Tipton captain and mid-field general, Tom Tonks, who had worked manfully without due reward all afternoon received a nasty ankle injury forcing him to leave the action. In the final minute Sphinx broke free again and Christie looked an odds-on scorer with only the limping Page to beat but the 'keeper bravely denied him at the death.
It had been a grim afternoon for Tipton Town completely caught on the hop by the visitors. With their next fixture an F.A.Vase cup-tie at Stafford Town next Saturday they at least have a little time to reflect upon today's shortcomings and put in place some very necessary corrective measures