COVENTRY SPHINX
FOOTBALL CLUB
1st September 2009
Sphinx win replay.....
by Kev Monks at Walshes Meadow
Stourport Swifts 0 v 2 Coventry Sphinx
Coventry Sphinx are through to the
FA Cup First Qualifying Round after a superb 2-0 replay victory
at Stourport Swifts.
Sphinx travelled to the Southern League Midland Division side
after a 4-4 draw on Saturday and had the better of the opening
half hour.
Winger Aaron Donaldson fired onto the roof of the net in the
14th minute before Kyle Rhodes went close from a Jamie McAteer
cross three minutes later.
Rhodes headed a Muldoon cross over in the 23rd minute whilst all
Stourport were allowed by a hard working defence brilliantly led
by Sphinx Man Of The Match Terry Ward was a long ranger from
Scott Morris.
Adie Fisher and Kyle Rhodes were superb in midfield and ran
themselves into the ground for the Sphinx cause.
Murdock forced Paul Evans into a save and in the 33rd minute the
large contingent of Sphinx supporters were celebrating when
their side were awarded a penalty.
Kyle Rhodes got to a Muldoon cross from the left and as he shot,
he was upended. Adie Fisher stroked home the resulting spot kick
and Sphinx were ahead for the first time in the match.
Another cracking save from Evans denied Murdock before the teams
went into the break.
There was no let up in the effort and commitment from Danny
McSheffrey's and such the frustration of the home side that
Scott Morris lashed out and was sent off in the 71st minute.
Ten minutes later, the home side had a chance to draw level with
a free header at the far post. Somehow, it went wide and Sphinx
decided to make Swifts pay.
Ward had his header fumbled by the keeper and seconds later
Jamie McAteer headed the resulting corner once more.
The ball eventually came to substitute Luke Hopkins whose
powerful 85th minute run saw him shed a marker and play the ball
inside for Jerome Murdock who turned and slipped the ball past
the keeper into the bottom corner to earn Sphinx a home tie
against Rushall Olympic on September 12th.
Sphinx have more cup action on Saturday with an FA Vase trip to
Ashby Ivanhoe.
------------
Sphinx: C. O'Neil, C. Goodbody (Green 75), J. McAteer, A.
Fisher, T. Ward, L. Kay, A. Donaldson, K. Rhodes, K. Phillips
(L. Hopkins 77), J. Murdock, T. Muldoon. subs not used: L.
Simmons. T. Bryce, Kimberlin, Hayward.
Stourport: TBC
Attendance: 110
In the Press:
Swifts crash out of FA Cup
10:36pm Tuesday 1st September 2009, www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk
Swifts 0 Coventry Sphinx 2
STOURPORT Swifts crashed out of the preliminary
round of the FA Cup after a disappointing
display against Coventry Sphinx on Tuesday night
at Walshes Meadow.
Goals in each half ensured Swifts failed to progress into the cup.
Even worse for the Southern League Midlands Division One side they were reduced to ten men when Scott Morris was sent off in the second half.
Swifts were left ruing Saturday's 4-4 draw, when they threw away a 4-0 lead in Coventry.
"I'm gutted that we are out of the cup," commented Swifts chairman Chris Reynolds.
"It was an average performance by us, we lost Scott Morris in the second half and we struggled to break them down.
"It was a missed opportunity by us, we should have won the first game but we threw it away.
"Scott's sending off was harsh and the referee did not have a good game but that wasn't the reason why we lost the cup tie.
"Coventry wanted the game more than us and we will have to pick themselves up after a very disappointing performance."
Swifts were without the suspended Wesley Joyce, so Morris, who was just back from injury, started the game.
However, the home side found themselves trailing in the 34th minute when Lee Tomkins conceded a penalty and Adrian Fisher scored from the penalty spot.
The home side pushed for a leveller but failed to take their chances, with Andy Jones missing with two headers.
They also suffered a setback when Morris was shown a straight red card for pushing a Coventry player.
The home side piled on the pressure for a goal but paid the price when Jerome Murdock scored in the 85th minute.
