Coventry Sphinx 3-0 Bugbrooke St Michaels
Marcus Robinson
On another night, Coventry Sphinx’s Uhlsport United Counties League Premier Division South win over Bugbrooke St Michaels might have looked like heavy work. Watching the second half certainly was.
But the clinical first-half finishing of Sphinx striker Matty Shipman ensured that the job was done by the break and the uneventful second period was outweighed by a thrilling first and a 3-0 win for the home team.
Joint managers John Woodward and Shaun Thomas named the same eleven that started the preceding Isuzu FA Vase Fourth Round win at Biggleswade United, with goalkeeper Scott Martin protected by Jamie Draper, Louis Guest and James Bryson. Jordan Hayward and Callum Martin played at wing back either side of a midfield trio of Max Johnson, captain Callum Woodward and Leo Stone.
After Callum Stewart’s brace at the weekend he had to allow a share of the January glory to strike partner Shipman, whose hat-trick bagged all three points for second-placed Sphinx in this midweek clash.
The hosts were justifiably displeased with their start to the match. Bugbrooke were sharper out of the blocks and were quick to pile on the pressure, albeit without calling Scott Martin into action. They were in charge for the first ten minutes before the teams exchanged shots without reward.
Despite the sluggish opening, Sphinx took the lead with twelve minutes played. Woodward’s corner kick from the left picked out Guest at the back post. The centre half nodded the ball back and Shipman took the chance first time, drilling it low past Bugbrooke goalkeeper Luke Reeve from eight yards.
Though they had the lead, Sphinx were by no means on top as the middle of the first half approached. But the match was now more even and it was the boys in sky blue and white who made all the chances in front of goal.
In the 21st minute, Stewart went clear and forced Reeve to make a smart save with his feet. Bugbrooke quickly made their way up the field and Sphinx were lucky to escape unscathed from a defensive mix-up. They were soon making inroads of their own again.
Woodward pulled down a high ball in the 22nd minute, produced a naughty feint to take a defender out of his path and shot wide from 20 yards. A minute later Sphinx doubled the lead and the skipper was instrumental.
After gathering a pass and protecting possession on the left flank, Woodward held the ball up while Callum Martin arrived for the overlap. Woodward’s backheel was perfect and Martin roared onto the ball before whipping a phenomenal cross across Reeve’s face and to the back post. Shipman was there to thump in the header and make it 2-0.
Sphinx’s tails were up. Stewart dug out a shot from 20 yards with 25 minutes played and Reeve had to deny him again, saving low but unable to prevent the corner. Woodward took it from the right and Guest, under pressure, headed just over the crossbar.
At 2-0, the home team were on top but Bugbrooke looked to carry a threat. It was evolving into a physical match and Sphinx had to run their socks off to keep the visitors at arm’s length.
Shipman was in no mood to allow them back into the match and completed his hat-trick eleven minutes before half time, racing clear to meet a through ball and tucking the ball confidently beyond Reeve for 3-0.
There was still time in the half for one more goal. Stewart sprung the offside trap and lobbed Reeve after getting to the ball over the top before him. The assistant referee’s flag scrubbed the goal and Sphinx had to settle for three not only after the first half, but at the end of the second too.
After a hard-earned break the teams returned to the pitch and carried on where they left off. It was a competitive but largely fruitless start to the second half until twelve minutes in, when excellent work wide on the right by Woodward and then Hayward led to Martin being found with a pass across the box. Reeve held on to his drive.
Three minutes later a dangerous attack for Bugbrooke ended with a blocked shot, and in the middle of the half Hayward and Martin combined again. Hayward hit the byline at speed and again picked out his opposite number as he came in from the left wing. Martin wasn’t able to get the necessary purchase on the shot and Reeve saved again.
To their credit, Bugbrooke kept the home team honest. Scott Martin had to get down really well to save a speculative shot from distance with 25 minutes left on the clock, and a glancing header zipped wide of his post soon afterwards.
Two minutes later a half volley from distance, beautifully struck, just had too much height and flew over the bar to keep the difference at three goals.
Stewart had another disallowed with quarter of an hour remaining and Reeve tipped a Woodward free kick over his crossbar in the last couple of minutes. In between those chances, a long throw-in from Bugbrooke put Guest in a tricky spot and his creative escape method was to flick a header onto the roof of his own net.
In truth, the second half wasn’t much to write home about. Shipman had already won the game for Sphinx and they’re not a team who are minded to cede the momentum if they can help it.
With maximum effort and minimum fuss they saw out an attritional half and carved out a couple of chances to add some gloss to the win. The clean sheet was much more important than a fourth goal.
With two league wins and progress in the FA Vase, January was a truncated but productive month for Sphinx. They now move into a remarkably busy February, full to bursting with difficult and important fixtures.
Newport Pagnell Town away in the next league match will be both, as will the visit of West Didsbury & Chorlton in the Vase a week later. Then it’s Halesowen Town in the Birmingham Senior Cup and league games against March Town United, Wellingborough Town, Lutterworth Town and Desborough Town before the month is out.
Sphinx team
S. Martin, Draper, C. Martin, Johnson (J. Downes), Guest, Bryson (Whiteside), Hayward (Kennedy), Woodward, Shipman (Adams), Stewart, Stone (L. Downes)