Romulus 0-4 Coventry Sphinx
Stuart Guest
After consecutive Birmingham County FA Senior Cup exits against West Bromwich Albion, Birmingham City and Aston Villa, Coventry Sphinx finally progressed in style when pitted against fellow Step Five opposition.
The 2022/23 Second Round took Shaun Thomas and John Woodward’s side back to Castle Vale Stadium to face Romulus, an old Midland Football League Premier Division foe who’ve given Sphinx a tough afternoon or evening on plenty of occasions over the years.
Hot on the heels of a 4-0 league win at Bugbrooke St Michaels two days earlier, in-form Sphinx came away from Birmingham with another 4-0 victory and a place in the next round of the county cup.
Woodward and Thomas signalled their intent with a strong line-up despite the upcoming fixture in the Isuzu FA Vase. There were starts for Jack Downes and Luke Downes in midfield, as well as Dylan Parker in an attacking role and Callum Martin at left wing back.
Scott Martin continued in goal behind a back three of Jamie Draper, Louis Guest and James Bryson, with Callum Whiteside at right wing back once more. Cally Stewart and Matty Shipman completed the starting eleven and Sphinx’s strength in depth proved its worth on a windy and drizzly Monday night.
Romulus started the match with their typical sense of purpose and, after an even and energetic start with more intensity than action, crafted an early chance on the break, shooting wide from inside the Sphinx penalty area.
The match was physical and full-blooded from the start and evolved into an entertaining affair. Sphinx had to be on their toes again after quarter of an hour, Bryson smartly cleaning up on the cover after a promising Romulus run. A few minutes later, Martin had to get down well to stop a low shot and keep the game goalless.
Sphinx eventually found their feet, started moving the ball nicely in the middle third, and rediscovered their prolific form in front of goal. They scored twice in eleven minutes to take a significant advantage in the first half.
Luke Downes scored the first with a helping hand from the Roms goalkeeper, whose unfortunate error proved costly. After Bryson was fouled in a wide position, Downes whipped in a free kick from 35 yards. His delivery was on target and the goalkeeper let it slip through his hands and into the net.
Parker’s stretch just wasn’t long enough to connect with a Shipman cross from the left a couple of minutes later, and Romulus pushed for an equaliser. On the half hour, a free kick was fired past the Sphinx wall and just wide, but in the 34th minute the visitors made it 2-0 in spectacular fashion.
Sphinx won a throw-in on the right and the resulting aerial duel resulted in a Shipman header back to the edge of the D. Parker, on his first start for Sphinx, met the volley sweetly with his right foot and directed it past the rooted goalkeeper and into the corner of the net.
The visitors were in a good position again soon afterwards. Stewart ran into the box and looked to drill the ball across goal from close range. It span off the goalkeeper and squirmed wide.
In the 39th minute, a free kick from the right flank caused problems at the back for Romulus and eventually dropped kindly for Whiteside on the penalty spot. His strike drew a good save and the teams headed in for half time two goals apart.
After one two-goal burst to get in front in the first half, Sphinx produced another to kill off the contest early in the second.
In the fifth minute of the half, Parker rolled the ball back for Callum Martin on the left wing and he sent in a magnificent cross that looked destined for the head of Shipman. It dropped over the striker but was met by Luke Downes, whose cushioned volley into the roof of the net made it 3-0 with the goal of the night.
Sphinx were cruising. Stewart had a shot from the edge of the Romulus box but a deflection took the sting out of it for the goalkeeper. Shortly before the hour he was picking the ball out of his net for a fourth time.
Romulus partially cleared another free kick but centre back and captain Guest gathered it and clipped a cross back into danger. Stewart broke the offside line to poke the ball home from a few yards out.
Martin went close with a drive just over the top in the 61st minute, and Parker sent one over the crossbar after a sharp Sphinx move in the final third five minutes later. Substitute Callum Woodward’s free kick from 25 yards out had to be turned away from the top corner in the 71st minute, as Sphinx set about the hunt for a fifth goal.
Shipman crossed for another substitute, Jack Kennedy, who headed over in the 79th minute, and Leo Stone turned well 25 yards from goal before hitting a shot that was deflected up and over the bar. Luke Downes was waiting when the ball was cleared from the ensuing corner, blasting just wide with ten minutes remaining.
Max Johnson, also on as a second-half substitute, teed up one more chance in stoppage time. Stone was off-balance when attempting Sphinx’s final meaningful shot of a game that had long since been won.
It’s difficult to overstate what a good result this was. Romulus are a strong side well managed, and Castle Vale Stadium is a ground Sphinx have often found difficult to crack. To do so this comfortably was impressive, a demonstration of the ability and attitude of the team this season.
We’ll have to wait a while to find out who Sphinx will face in the next round of the Birmingham Senior Cup. In the meantime, attention turns to the league and, first, to the FA Vase.
Sphinx enjoyed a tremendous Vase run last season and enter this year’s competition several rounds deep as a result. The Second Round, Sphinx’s first Vase outing, takes them to Staffordshire to face Eccleshall.
The next league fixtures are against Milton Keynes Irish at home and Cogenhoe United away, so there really is no rest for the wicked.
Sphinx team
S. Martin, Draper, C. Martin (Hayward), J. Downes (Johnson), Guest, Bryson, Whiteside (Kennedy), L. Downes, Shipman, Stewart (Woodward), Parker (Stone)