AFC Rushden & Diamonds 0-0 Coventry Sphinx
Stuart Guest
AFC Rushden & Diamonds made no bones about giving Coventry Sphinx reasons to be wary in their Pitching In Northern Premier League Midlands encounter at Hayden Road.
Sphinx’s first win as a Step Four club came in the reverse fixture but Rushden's recent form – they'd won three on the spin prior to this game – has compressed the bottom end of the table and made it clear that the visitors would need to have their wits about them.
Joint managers John Woodward and Shaun Thomas were without captain Callum Woodward after his red card against Coleshill Town in the previous match. Jack Downes was drafted into an otherwise unchanged eleven.
Keelan Fallows continued in goal behind Louis Guest and Will Edjenguele, with Joe Pursey and Finlay Shorrock in the full back positions. Downes started in midfield with Alfonso Castellano and Jac Redhead.
After two goals at Coleshill, striker Matty Shipman was again flanked by Ashton Demulder and Tyler Haddow in their second starts for the club.
Fallows had to hold the first shot of a match that had a blood and thunder start. Sphinx weren't cowed by Rushden's winning form and settled into the game fastest, looking confident in possession and nearly taking an early lead when a defensive header went close to sneaking into the top corner.
Rushden started to get forward more after quarter of an hour, as Sphinx did going the other way, but the physical battle in midfield was just beginning.
The visitors got some attacking joy before the half hour mark. A nice move on the left led to Redhead driving determinedly into the box but his low shot was from too narrow an angle and was easily saved by Rushden goalkeeper George Rose.
A minute later, a terrific through ball from Shipman sent Haddow clear. He had to show good strength to hold off a defender but the ball ran away from him just enough to be gathered by Rose, whose starting position paid off. Redhead, stretching, clipped the rebound over.
Rushden were in confident mood and aggressive in wide areas, but Sphinx enjoyed most of the control of the first half. A late spell for the hosts failed to produce a chance and Sphinx were frustrated not to take a lead into half time.
Immediately after the restart Shipman forced Rose to make a good save with his feet and it was only a matter of minutes before Fallows had to do the same to deny Dylan Wilson at the other end.
Rose was quick off his line throughout and it snuffed out more than one Sphinx attack before a set piece gave the visitors another opportunity. Castellano took a free kick from midfield and Guest got up well in the six-yard box to nod the ball back to Redhead. Under pressure, the midfielder fired over.
For the most part, the entertainment factor of this game was in the competitive contest in the middle of the park. As a spectacle it lacked shape but was enjoyable regardless. Sphinx edged it but there was precious little goalmouth action.
In the middle of the half there was a debut from the Sphinx bench. Striker Leo Wood joined the club from Solihull Moors in time for the recent Coleshill fixture and got his first minutes at Hayden Road as Woodward and Thomas went for the win.
With 20 minutes remaining, Sphinx produced a fine move from a throw-in. Redhead and Jack Downes exchanged passes to get the former in on goal. Redhead's improvised finish went over the top to leave Rose untroubled in the Diamonds goal.
By now, Sphinx were moving through the gears but found Rushden to be obstinate opposition. The home team fought back and had another threatening spell. An excellent and vital tackle by Edjenguele on the edge of the box was all that stood between Rushden and the best shooting chance of the afternoon.
Sphinx won a few late corners, one of which found Shipman only to be headed wide. Rushden had most of the possession as the match fizzled out, leaving both teams to reflect on a hard-won point apiece.
While they might feel their overall play warranted a win, Sphinx weren't able to carve out the volume of chances required to force a breakthrough. But this was an important point secured in potentially awkward circumstances.
Rushden's resurgence has transformed them into very dangerous opposition irrespective of their starting the day at the bottom of the table. Sphinx are yet to win three in a row, which goes to show how difficult that is in the NPL Midlands.
Stopping that run is not to be underestimated and sets Sphinx up nicely for a quick turnaround and the belated home fixture against Loughborough Dynamo. Similar character will be essential.
Sphinx team
Fallows, Pursey, Shorrock, Castellano, Guest, Edjenguele, Demulder (Wood), J. Downes, Shipman, Redhead (L. Downes), Haddow. Unused subs: Lock, Whiteside