Coventry Sphinx 2 v 1 Coleshill Town Polymac Cup

First Team Match Reports 2008-2009

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Coventry Sphinx 2 v 1 Coleshill Town Polymac Cup

Postby Alan Beckett » Thu Dec 18, 2008 6:36 pm

Tuesday 16th December 2008
Polymac Services Alliance league Cup Round 2
Coventry Sphinx 2 v 1 Coleshill Town
Scorers:
Sphinx: Tom Thacker, Kyle Rhodes.
Town: OG Terry Ward.

With the new management team given time to settle in, for us, a mid table finish would be a job well done, but it would have been nice to have a run in the League cup but that came to an end at the first hurdle with defeat on Tuesday at Sphinx. We never seem to do very good against Sphinx and in Tom Thacker they have a player who always scores against us. Sphinx are in 4th place and expected to finish more or less in that position, so to take them so close in the two games against them so far this season is encouraging but it could have been better. We lost in the league game through a 93rd minute goal. Then on Tuesday, having gone 1-0 down, (Thacker, who else!), we equalised and then they had a man sent off. We should have gone on to win it but just didn’t seem to be able to produce that bit of quality when we most needed it, although we did hit the post twice!

Jamie Silver was cup tied, so Nathan Pulisciano took his place leaving us looking lopsided with two left footers in the wide positions. Ben Usher, making his 60th appearance but 1st of the season, replaced Rob Freeman.

The rain came spot on time, just as the players kicked off but the slippery surface only added to the game which was entertaining with both sides having numerous chances. Sphinx started the better and Jerome Murdock caused lots of problems with his pace and directness, but it was Coleshill who had the most clear cut opportunities with Matty Robinson shooting wide from a great position and James Dance delaying his shot when clean through, the keeper making a good save. It was to prove costly as Sphinx took the lead minutes later with Murdock getting to the bye line and crossing for the unmarked Tom Thacker to head home at the far post. Terry Ward, who was involved when Michael Campbell got sent off at the last meeting, was having a real tussle with Ben Usher, both eventually ending up in the book.

Sphinx had that little bit extra quality and could have stretched their lead but Coleshill dug deep and got back into the game with a James Dance run and cross deflected past his own keeper by Ward. Town's tails were up and in the next attack Lee Bloxham played a one two with Usher leaving him and Matty Robinson free on goal. Unfortunatley Ward followed through on Usher and the referee stopped the game to give Ward his second yellow card. No advantage there! It should have been the opportunity for Coleshill to go on and win the game, and they did have more posession but it was Sphinx who scored the only other goal. Rob Stevenson whipped in a vicious corner that was scrambled off the line and out for another corner. Stevenson again delivered and Kyle Rhodes headed in unchallenged at the far post. Lee Darlison saw a cross hit the post with the keeper thinking it was going wide and Dance had a shot deflected onto the post but Coleshill couldn't find a way through.

Out of all the cups and a mid table/top ten finish looking the best bet, Kitching and Socket have time to access and build for next season. With almost half the games gone it's, so far, a job pretty well done but Market Drayton, Barwell, Coalville and Sphinx are all much better equipped for a challenge on the title (we haven't seen Boldmere yet) and are the bench mark for success in this league.

Team;- Chris Butler, Ant Hall, Dave Davies, Lee Hunt, Lee Darlison, James Dance, Simon Volante, Lee Bloxham, Matty Robinson, Ben Usher (Danny Carter), Nathan Pulisciano (Stuart Hendrie). Subs not used Craig Johnson, Rob Evans, Neil Kitching.

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