Corby Town 3-0 Coventry Sphinx
Stuart Guest
After a home draw against Rugby Town, Coventry Sphinx travelled to Northamptonshire to face Corby Town in good spirits but with their preparation having been disrupted.
Corby ran out 3-0 winners at Steel Park, the scoreline reflecting their ability to be clinical in front of goal rather than dominate the match from start to finish. Sphinx rued chances not taken and a poor period after the Steelmen broke the deadlock.
Suspension, injury, illness and absence played a big role in team selection for joint managers John Woodward and Shaun Thomas. Callum Whiteside and James Bryson came into the side to play in defence in front of goalkeeper Keelan Fallows. Louis Guest continued as captain.
Joe Pursey and Finlay Shorrock started at wing back, while Jack Downes, Luke Downes and Alfonso Castellano made up the midfield behind a front two of Matty Shipman and Leo Wood.
Sphinx made a positive start but it was the hosts who made inroads after the first few minutes. They won the aerial duel from a free kick to force Fallows into a save and a Sphinx defender then needed to turn the loose ball away.
From the resulting corner, the visitors had to clear an effort off the line. That early spell for Corby eased as Sphinx settled on the ball again, playing some nice football at times but also seeking to get the Steelmen turned quickly.
A long throw-in from Pursey was partially cleared but found Jack Downes, whose left-footed effort was well struck but zipped wide of the Corby goal.
Sphinx enjoyed a solid first 25 minutes in possession, looking sharp on the ball but unable to give the opposition goalkeeper much to be concerned about. At the other end, Fallows had to save again in the 21st minute as Corby's opportunities started to flow.
The visitors had to make an unwelcome change when Shorrock, already far from fully fit, had to be replaced by the equally unready Jordan Hayward, who put in a shift on the left that his lungs wouldn't have appreciated.
The match was effectively won by two goals in the space of five minutes. Corby broke the deadlock just before the half hour when Tristan Thompson-Matthews slid in to prod home the rebound after another Fallows save.
In the 34th minute, an attack on the left eventually led to the ball falling for Joe Butterworth 25 yards from goal. His low drive was perfectly struck and thumped one post before hitting the net just inside the other to make it 2-0.
This was not an afternoon for a comeback. With Sphinx rocking, Corby set about the search for a third goal.
A header sailed wide ten minutes before half time and a much easier chance was squandered soon after. Sphinx's first test of the second half was to get a foot on the ball and have a say in the match again.
The attitude and character shown in the second half was nothing more than we've come to expect but it was good to see nonetheless. It was hard going but the players never gave up on the match and started the second period on the front foot.
Ten minutes in, Wood fired over after a couple of ricochets in the box. Pursey’s tremendous work on the right generated the opening.
Ashton Demulder came on for Castellano after 57 minutes and got straight into the task. Sphinx were playing reasonably well but the chances wouldn't come. Instead, Fallows made a fantastic save at the other end to deny a long-range effort he didn't see until late and Sphinx were limited to a clean 25-yard strike from Luke Downes that took a nick and went just over.
Less than a minute later, Corby scored their third. Play was allowed to continue despite a clear handball in midfield and Reuben Marshall was able to step onto a shot which he smashed in off the bar. The matter of whether the ball crossed the line was disputed but the assistant referee awarded the goal and Shaun Thomas was sent from the dugout in the aftermath.
Corby controlled what was left of the match. Connor Tomlinson hit the post with ten minutes to go and Fallows made sure 3-0 didn't become 4-0 with an excellent save three minutes from time.
Even at 3-0, the visitors kept working hard and demonstrated their commitment to the Sphinx cause. That sense of pride will be the minimum required as they head into a crucial run of four home games against high quality opposition.
Those matches won't define the season for Sphinx. There will be plenty to play for in the last month of the season regardless of how they turn out.
But some points in the bag over the next four weeks – an aim this group of players is eminently capable of achieving – would go a very long way.
Sphinx team
Fallows, Whiteside, Shorrock (Hayward), L. Downes, Guest, Bryson, Pursey, Castellano (Demulder), Shipman, J. Downes, Wood. Unused subs: Haddow, Redhead