GNG Oadby Town 1-5 Coventry Sphinx
Stuart Guest
Coventry Sphinx started 2023 as they ended 2022: with a win. This time it was a victory away at GNG Oadby Town, where they responded to the concession of an early goal with five unanswered to reach 40 points in the Uhlsport United Counties League Premier Division South.
Joint managers John Woodward and Shaun Thomas were without suspended captain Callum Woodward and started with an attacking and creative midfield three of Luke Downes, Max Johnson and Leo Stone.
Scott Martin continued in goal behind Jamie Draper, stand-in captain Louis Guest and James Bryson, with Callum Martin and Loz Rawlings back in at wing back. There were goals for strikers Matty Shipman and Cally Stewart, the latter finishing off a hat-trick after Stone had put Sphinx in front at the start of the second half.
The visitors started quickly, with Rawlings going close from a loose backpass and a slick move coming to nothing in the fifth minute. Stone found Rawlings, who fed the ball in behind for Shipman. His backheel left the ball for Stewart, whose shot was blocked over. Stone made half a yard from the resulting corner and sent his shot over the crossbar.
But the game hit an early dip in energy and Oadby took advantage out of nothing in the ninth minute. A low drive from the edge of the box beat Martin in the Sphinx goal, after which the match lost its way as tempers started to rise.
Sphinx didn’t get the rub of the green in the first half and took their time to really get going. Oadby fired over from 25 yards with the only noteworthy effort between their opener and Sphinx’s equaliser in the 28th minute.
After a delay on the right wing for Draper to receive treatment after an awful tackle, two Oadby players escaped the bookings they should have received in the aftermath and Sphinx had to cash in themselves from the free kick instead.
Johnson put in a fine midfield performance and the highlight was his beautiful delivery from this dead ball, bent perfectly for Stewart to sneak in behind and guide his header past the Oadby goalkeeper from six yards out.
The away team’s top scorer got in on goal again just a couple of minutes later but the goalkeeper was equal to his attempt to take the lead. Shipman also had a shot deflected over as Sphinx pushed, and the goalkeeper saved his shot after he’d been rolled in by Stewart seven minutes before half time.
Thomas and Woodward’s side were battling hard and the performance improved as a consequence, but their luck didn’t. They enjoyed much better fortunes in the second half.
Scott Martin had to make the first save after the break, showing some good handling in less than ideal conditions, but within three minutes of the restart Sphinx took the lead and never looked back.
Stone continued his scoring form, skipping around a defender outside the Oadby box and shooting across the goalkeeper and into the bottom corner, much to the surprise of the team-mate whose audible despair at the decision to shoot was cause for amusement as well as celebration on the sidelines.
Sphinx, now leading, started to dominate possession and went off in search of a third goal. It arrived with 56 minutes played.
Draper provided what we’re told (by Draper) was a masterful assist, releasing Stewart in behind once more. He tucked the ball past the goalkeeper to make it 3-1 to Sphinx with more than half an hour left to play.
On the hour a Sphinx break almost led to goal number four. Stewart’s pass across the face of goal made its way to the back post for Rawlings, who was frustrated by a good save by the increasingly busy Oadby goalkeeper.
Substitute Jordan Hayward ensured that the visitors didn’t have to wait long for a fourth goal. His pinpoint pass across goal had everything it needed to cause problems for a goalkeeper and defenders: pace, angle, accuracy and Shipman arriving to knock it home.
In the 69th minute another substitute, Dylan Parker, was looking to create another goal. His clever pass over the top sent Stewart into a dangerous position but his attempted lob started off wide of the post and stayed there.
Oadby produced a brief threat with a little over 15 minutes remaining. Johnson had to clear a shot off the line and Guest made a vital block at close quarters in the next phase of play, but Sphinx were far more potent.
Shipman had a goal disallowed thanks to a late and questionable offside flag a couple of minutes later. Stewart headed wide with ten remaining, before Martin made a good save from a well struck free kick at the other end.
The comfortable match situation allowed for a welcome return to football for striker Jamal Adams, who replaced Shipman with six minutes on the clock. Adams has put in a superhuman effort to overcome his injury and build up his fitness, and now has his first few minutes back in a Sphinx shirt under his belt too.
Adams made an instant impact, outpacing a defender to collect a ball in the corner and recycle it when it had looked a lost cause. He teed up Parker to drive into the penalty area and cross low for Stewart, who touched and turned before finishing into the bottom corner to complete his hat-trick and a thumping 5-1 win for Sphinx. Guest headed wide late on but the damage was done.
This win was yet another show of character by a gutsy Sphinx team. A goal down with their captain out of action, Guest stepped forward to lead them to what ended up being a comprehensive victory. Midfielders Johnson, Downes and Stone ensured Woodward’s absence was managed effectively, and the strikers did what strikers do.
Sphinx consolidated second place in the table for the time being but have to quickly shift their focus to the Isuzu FA Vase. They travel to Biggleswade United in the Fourth Round before returning to league action at home against Lutterworth Town.
Sphinx team
S. Martin, Draper, C. Martin (Hayward), L. Downes, Guest, Bryson, Rawlings, Johnson, Shipman (Adams), Stewart, Stone (Parker). Unused sub: J. Downes