Coleshill Town 1 v 0 Coventry Sphinx

[Alan Beckett]

Saturday 28th March 2026
Northern Premier League Midland Division
Coleshill Town 1 v 0 Coventry Sphinx
Scorer: Marvellous Onabirekhanlen pen.
Attendance: 265.
Supporters Club Man Of The Match: Marvellous Onabirekhanlen.


Teams:
Town: Cameron Belford, Daniel Brookes, Harry Sweeney, Lewis Allison, Kyle Rowley, Taylor Carter-Byrne, Theo Rowe (Tristan Dunkley), Bassit Mandey, Marvellous Onabirekhanlen, Ben Usher-Shipway (Gio Dainty), Mason Rees. Subs not used: Alex McSkeane, Ryan Boothe, Kyle Burke.

Sphinx: Lewis Elsom, Matthew Dawson, Jamie Draper (Damian Kelly), Jack Downes, Patrick Zito, Dennis Digie, Benjamin Mensah, Stanley Dube (Jarrod Bradshaw), Joseph Magunda, Kobe Hall, Antonio Cristofaro. Subs not used: Daniel Morby, Kevin Adueni, Arnold Manseya.


MATCH REPORT
By Ian Pugh
Marvellous holds his nerve as The Colemen battle the elements and climb to 3rd
Coleshill Town dug deep in brutal conditions to secure a vital three points against Coventry Sphinx, a result that lifts The Colemen into 3rd place and opens up a six‑point cushion on the play‑off line.

From the first whistle it was clear the weather would be the biggest opponent of the afternoon. Relentless gusts tore across Pack Meadow, making controlled football a luxury Coleshill rarely had. Coventry enjoyed long spells of possession, but despite their time on the ball they struggled to carve out anything meaningful. The Colemen stayed organised, disciplined, and patient.

Then came the breakthrough

In the 30th minute, Cam launched a goal kick out towards the right flank where Marvellous muscled past his marker, burst into space, and suddenly found himself bearing down on goal. As he nudged the ball past the onrushing keeper, he was clipped—clear penalty, no hesitation from the referee.

Marvellous picked himself up, placed the ball, and calmly rolled the spot‑kick home. A moment of composure in a half where composure was hard to find.

Second half: grit, graft, and game management

If the first half was difficult, the second was downright chaotic. The wind strengthened, the ball swirled unpredictably, and both sides were left feeding off scraps. Half‑chances came and went at either end, but neither team could find the quality needed to change the scoreline.

Coleshill, though, showed exactly the kind of resilience required at this stage of the season—managing the game, defending as a unit, and refusing to let the conditions dictate the outcome.
When the final whistle blew, it was a hard‑earned, fully deserved victory.

What it means

With other results falling kindly, The Colemen now sit 3rd in the table, six points clear of 6th as we enter the business end of the campaign. Momentum, belief, and league position are all moving in the right direction.

What’s next for The Colemen

• Tuesday night: Away at Leamington in the Birmingham Senior Cup

• Next Saturday: A coach trip to St Neots as we begin the final five league games

• Next home match: Easter Monday 6th April vs Lichfield City