Coleshill Town 2-3 Coventry Sphinx
Stuart Guest
It's rare in football to see two gratifying performances in one match but Coventry Sphinx produced a terrific game of two halves to win 3-2 against Coleshill Town in the Pitching In Northern Premier League Midlands.
After a winless and goalless start to 2024, Sphinx were by far the superior side in the first half and had the 2-0 lead to prove it. But a red card for captain Callum Woodward in stoppage time forced his team to dig deep in the second half.
Woodward was joined in midfield by Jac Redhead and Alfonso Castellano, making his first start for the club. Goalkeeper Keelan Fallows played behind Joe Pursey, Louis Guest, Will Edjenguele and Finlay Shorrock.
Striker Matty Shipman was flanked by two new signings. On the right, long-time Sphinx junior Ashton Demulder made his senior debut against his old team. On the left, former Coventry United and Barwell man Tyler Haddow went straight into the eleven.
Sphinx were on top from the start, on the front foot early and with the new players brought in by John Woodward and Shaun Thomas at the heart of their attacking play.
In the eighth minute, captain Woodward fired in a free kick that had to be tipped over by Coleshill goalkeeper Lewis Fenney. The resulting corner was another good Woodward delivery. Guest got a toe to the ball but could only send it over the crossbar.
The visitors kept the Colemen pinned back. Haddow was consistently able to get in behind and went clear with 18 minutes played, only to be beaten by a tight angle and a fine Fenney save.
The goalkeeper denied him again two minutes later, this time with an even better save after Haddow met another Woodward free kick. The opening goal was coming and Sphinx didn't have to wait much longer.
Woodward clipped in the corner and Shipman towered above his marker at the back post to force a header beyond Fenney's reach and over the line for 1-0.
Now forced to chase the game, Coleshill – under the management of Craig Nicholls for the first time – built up some pressure around the Sphinx goal. It was short-lived. Haddow soon had them stretched again.
In the 28th minute, he did all the hard work himself to get clear on the right. He produced a superb ball across the face of goal but there were no takers.
Seconds later a poor clearance from Fenney fell for Woodward 35 yards from goal. The Sphinx captain adjusted his body brilliantly and hit a first-time shot that dropped agonisingly onto the bar.
A minute later it was Redhead who made Fenney work, rolling his marker and striking low to draw another very good save from the home goalkeeper. Redhead, Woodward and the front three were roaring as Sphinx dominated the play, ably anchored by Castellano.
Coleshill produced a speculative shot over Fallows’ goal from distance shortly before they fell two behind. The visitors worked the ball from right to left and into the attacking third, where Haddow diverted it out wide for full back Shorrock.
He had to reach for it, which took him inside a defender and on to his right foot. His curling shot across Fenney and into the far top corner was every bit as crisp as he might have expected with his left, and Shorrock had doubled the lead.
Sphinx were cruising and Coleshill had Fenney to thank for keeping them in it, but the game changed in stoppage time at the end of the first half.
Woodward put in a heavy tackle on Alex Tomkinson and the match referee took exception, showing the Sphinx skipper a straight red card but showing rather more clemency to Coleshill's Dom Perkins for his part in the aftermath.
Thomas and Woodward Sr were forced into a change at the break as well as addressing the need to play on with ten men. Redhead had picked up an injury in the first half and was replaced by Luke Downes.
Coleshill inevitably began the half with the bit between their teeth. Fallows held a low free kick early on as Sphinx dug in. Crucially, they never gave up on getting forward too.
Sphinx played with composure and determination despite increasing pressure. A shot wide was followed by another save by Fallows on the hour mark, this time to thwart a shot with a little more venom.
The hosts pulled a goal back with 20 minutes left to play. Former Sphinx man Gio Dainty lifted the ball into the roof of the net from close range to make it 2-1 and leave both teams with everything to play for.
Shipman showed his very best to restore Sphinx's lead in the 75th minute. Shorrock's pass found him 30 yards from goal and he needed strength, speed and a cool finish to make it 3-1. He had all three.
The visitors needed the cushion of a third goal. Fallows easily saved a speculative shot ten minutes from time but could do nothing about Coleshill's second goal. George Washbourne received the ball from a short corner and curled it inside the far post.
The home team threw the kitchen sink at it for the remaining seven minutes of normal time and almost six of time added on. Fallows made a couple of simple saves and watched a powerful effort sail just past his top corner. Three minutes into stoppage time Fallows got a vital fingertip to the ball to send a shot onto the post.
After going down a man, Sphinx had to work hard and defend for their lives even with three goals in the bag. Coleshill pushed them hard but consistent handling from Fallows and a couple of crucial defensive headers from Shipman helped settle the game.
Shipman was outstanding and Haddow caused real problems for the Colemen throughout the 90 minutes. But, in truth, this was an excellent, gutsy team performance and everyone played their part without exception.
Sphinx finally got their 2024 moving. With big games ahead, it was vital that they banked three points to end January on a real high.
Sphinx team
Fallows, Pursey, Shorrock, Castellano (Whiteside), Edjenguele, Guest, Demulder (Lock), Woodward, Shipman, Redhead (L. Downes), Haddow. Unused subs: Wood, Bryson