Boldmere St Michaels 3-1 Coventry Sphinx
Stuart Guest
After a midweek defeat by table-topping Harborough Town, Coventry Sphinx needed to make a statement against Boldmere St Michaels in the Pitching In Northern Premier League Midlands. Instead, a harsh reality check was delivered by a team who quickly established themselves after promotion and whose line-up gave a few hints about what’s required to do so.
The Mikes ran out 3-1 winners thanks to a stoppage time insurance goal. In most other aspects the match was close, with the sides split mostly by the fact that Boldmere took two chances to Sphinx’s one in the first hour and generated a few with Sphinx foundering late on.
Leo Brown played the final game of his loan from Alvechurch and was joined by Matty Shipman, Gio Dainty and Jac Redhead as the team’s primary creative corps. Downes brothers Luke and Jack continued in midfield, while Callum Whiteside and Louis Guest got the nod at centre back in front of goalkeeper Keelan Fallows. Joe Pursey and Finlay Shorrock started at full back.
On the bench there was a welcome return to contention for Sphinx captain Callum Woodward as he works his way back from injury.
Just as they had on Brown's debut at the start of the month, Sphinx got off to a flyer and managed to make it count with a goal after 52 seconds.
The on-loan Alvechurch man might have scored the early opener again but his attempt from close range was blocked by Mikes goalkeeper Callum Smith. Fortunately for Sphinx, Dainty was on hand to smash in the loose ball for 1-0.
The visitors kept on pushing and Brown had a curling effort saved as early as the fourth minute before Boldmere found their foothold in the match. One shot was blasted over Fallows’ crossbar and another, direct from a free kick, was tipped over by the Sphinx stopper.
The home side took the initiative and enjoyed a lot of possession for a spell before Sphinx responded with some pressure of their own.
By the middle of the half the football was end to end with few chances of note and precious little composure on the ball. Sphinx in particular succumbed to the temptation to go too long too early, surrendering the ball too often as a consequence.
Fallows thwarted another chance from a Boldmere free kick, this time flicked towards goal en route, and late enforced starter Ross Evans produced a powerful run and threatening shot that was deflected wide of the Sphinx goal in the 38th minute.
Sphinx were wobbling after a quick start and Boldmere found some joy with driving runs right up the gut. That very method produced the free kick that finally knocked the visitors over.
Dan Gyasi took it and superbly found the top corner to pull the Mikes level with half time looming. A few more speculative shots from Boldmere ensured Sphinx would finish the first period on the back foot.
Like the first half, Sphinx made a good start to the second and had a very presentable chance to take another early lead. A lovely passing move opened up an opportunity for the overlapping full back Pursey, but he was unable to keep his shot down.
When Boldmere's vital second goal arrived with 56 minutes played it was a suckerpunch that knocked the wind out of Sphinx’s best spell of the afternoon. One simple pass in behind was all it took to release Owen Parry, and he slotted his shot past Fallows with textbook composure to put the Mikes in front.
Sphinx looked to a similar combination for an equaliser. Redhead threaded the ball into the right channel for Shipman on the hour and the striker turned his man before putting his laces through a shot that was blocked and deflected over.
Sphinx weren't second best as they hunted a second goal but they found genuine openings hard to come by. Boldmere, meanwhile, endured no such struggle.
In the middle of the half Whiteside had to clear off the line, albeit to turn away an attempt from a very acute angle, and a clear chance went begging with 20 minutes left to play.
The away team's search for an equaliser became increasingly ragged and less potent as the minutes passed. By the last quarter of an hour it was Boldmere who looked likeliest to score the fourth goal of the match.
With ten minutes remaining Fallows made a terrific reflex point-blank save. From the subsequent corner Boldmere twice hit the post. Either shot should have been a goal but it never looked like the Mikes would be punished for that profligacy.
They had all the ball and all the chances. Fallows made two more saves, the first from a free kick in a similar position to Boldmere's equaliser.
Five minutes were added on at the end of normal time and one last insult was awaiting the visitors with a minute of it left.
Ben Usher-Shipway drove a venomous low strike across Fallows and in from a free kick that shouldn't have been a free kick, and Sphinx were condemned to a second away defeat of the week.
Nobody at Sphinx is in the business of making excuses and the need to stand up and be counted has never been clearer than it is after two tough losses on the road in the space of a few days.
Even with few wins on the board, consistently picking up points has kept Sphinx’s heads above water in the league table thus far. Failing to do so isn’t an option. Boldmere have done a fine job at Step Four and that shouldn’t be overlooked, but, as we move into December, Sphinx need leadership and character from players all over the park.
It’s been a strong suit for this team up to this point. What lies ahead is a real test of their mettle at our highest ever level. Let’s see what these brilliant boys are made of.
Sphinx team
Fallows, Pursey, Shorrock (Hayward), L. Downes, Guest, Whiteside, J. Downes (Bailey-Nicholls), Redhead, Shipman, Brown, Dainty (Lock). Unused subs: Woodward, Edjenguele