Taking the M69 to Leicester in midweek and losing 3-2 is becoming a habit for Sphinx as they repeated the trick tonight at FLAE. With cup football to the fore in early season and with a number of changes due to holidays, including manager Danny McSheffrey, this league encounter may have been somewhat overlooked. Sphinx created the better opportunities, for both sides as it turned out, but were wasteful in front of goal and in the end couldn't really argue with making the familiar trek home empty handed.

 

The game started in controversial circumstances with the referee intervening as the players readied themselves for the start by refusing the FLAE number 7, Phull, permission to take the field. The official deemed that taping up a bangle around the wrist did not meet the new requirements and he was eventually ordered replaced by the number 12, Wakelins, before the whistle had been blown.

 

When eventually the action started Sphinx took the early pacemaking duties and after some good build up play earned a freekick out on the right with 4 minutes on the clock. Craig Goodbody centred the ball where only a last ditch clearing header prevented FLAE old boy Kelvin Phillips from stealing in at the back post. From the resulting corner the ball was cleared only to be returned into the box where Sphinx Captain Terry Ward found room to send a powerful header just over the bar.

 

Sphinx continued to press but on 13 minutes in was Friar Lane's turn to go close as a break from midfield and a through ball looked certain to deliver an opportunity at the near post but for a sliding block from Goodbody. The resulting corner threatened to be dangerous as it came whipped in to the six yard box but no clear opportunity arose.

 

Two minute later Sphinx presented FLAE with the first of their goals. The ball was worked down the right hand side and the cross was floated harmlessly into the penalty. With no real challenge coming from a forward O'Neill jumped to take the ball at full stretch only to seem to lose the flight in the glare of the floodlights. Instead of taking it cleanly he could only snatch at it and watch it cannon behind him into the empty net.

 

From the restart Sphinx were straight back on the attack with Jerome Murdock finding some space in the final third on the left hand side. He glided around several tackles and twisted his way across the six yard box. With seemingly endless opportunities to apply the finish he stalled and with the opportunity waning his attempted clip over the 'keeper lacked power and was easily pushed away. From the resulting corner Terry Ward was again free at the back post and looked certain to head the equaliser but failed to connect, unsighted as he was by the jumping defenders in front.

 

Sphinx were again dominating with Kyle Rhodes, Jerome Murdock and Tom Muldoon all going close but it took until the 40th minute for the goal to come. Phillips was dragged to the ground inside the box as held up the ball giving the referee no choice but to point to the spot. Mr. Reliable Kyle Rhodes walked up to take the kick and duly drove it into the top right hand corner.

 

With the game finally levelled the Sphinx bench called for a calm five minutes to see out the half. Terry Ward took the instruction a little too literally and as FLAE lobbed a ball forward almost directly from the restart he could only find air with his attempted clearing volley leaving Hodgkinson with all the time he wanted to latch on to the ball and place it past the exposed O'Neill.

 

There was still time for more action in the half but this time the kind not needed in the game. A lunging studs-up tackle on Murdock on the near touchline incensed the Sphinx players & bench alike and resulted in a general loss of control as all 22 players began a round of 'handbags at dawn'. When finally calm was restored, as much by the players themselves than the officials, both sides seemed bemused at the original foul only being deemed worthy of a caution and only one Sphinx player singled out of the melee to have his name taken too.

 

Into the second half and the crowd barely had chance to balance their glasses on the fenceposts before Sphinx were awarded their second spot kick. This time is was Jerome Murdock pulled back inside the area but the result was the same as Rhodes stepped up calmly to slot the ball home into the bottom left hand corner.

 

So for the second time Sphinx had pegged the home side back but soon after completed their unwanted hat-trick of gift wrapped goals for their hosts. Kelvin Phillips was harried in possession on the half way line and when looking to lay the ball back could only find Hodgkinson in space. At that stage it seemed only half a chance but Hodgkindon let fly from 25 yards with a tracer-bullet of a strike into the top left hand corner which O'Neill could only watch fly past.

 

It seemed that there was plenty of time left in the game for more drama but both sides began to find it hard going, with opportunities being snuffed out as quick as they arose and no clear cut chances falling to either team. The inevitable series of substitutions ensued serving to further disrupt the flow of the game, one of note saw Phull, he of the jewellery debate before kick-off, coming on in the 76th minute minus the offending bangle which lay in two pieces in the dugout having been cut free from his wrist.

 

Into the final ten minutes and Sphinx found a renewed desire to at least come back with a point but also renewed their love of wasting opportunities. A series of half chances were missed as FLAE were forced deeper and deeper. Murdock again looked the most likely to level as he timed his run to perfection to latch onto a through ball. The 'keeper tough was quick to match Murdock's pace and ran forward to spread himself well to block the goal-bound attempt.

 

With seconds remaining Green looked to have finally levelled things up as he timed his leap just right to meet a driven cross into the box. His radar was slightly askew though sending the ball just inches wide of the far post.

 

The whistle followed soon after to bring an end to this highly eventful, highly unpredictable encounter and with the talking points almost as frequent as the express trains speeding along the adjacent track it certainly provided great value for money for those in attendance.

 

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Sphinx: C. O'Neill, C. Goodbody(G. Mead 69), J. Holmes, J. McAteer, T. Ward, K. Rhodes, A. Donaldson (P. Green 85), J, Ruff, K. Phillips (L. Hopkins 73), J. Murdock, T. Muldoon. subs not used:A. Woodall, C. Daffern.

 

FLAE: T. Holyoak, T. Ross, S. Goodman, N. Gupwell, A. Turner, R. Seal, H. Phull, F. Lynch, D. Hodgkinson, L. Barratt, J. Chapman. subs: J. Wakelins, P. Howard, D. Wheeler, J. McCullock, L. McLeod.

 

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