Coventry Sphinx 1-1 Boldmere St Michaels
Stuart Guest
Coventry Sphinx took a huge step towards survival in the Pitching In Northern Premier League Midlands by coming from behind to secure a 1-1 draw against Boldmere St Michaels.
Sphinx dominated the second half after a slow start and were rewarded for their efforts with a point that means a large goal difference swing will be required in order for them to be relegated in what looks to be an exciting last-day safety shoot-out.
Joint managers John Woodward and Shaun Thomas opted for Luke Downes in midfield with captain Callum Woodward. Leo Wood started in the hole, with striker Leo Brown flanked by Jack Downes on the right and Jordan Hayward on the left.
Keelan Fallows played in goal behind a back four of Joe Pursey, Louis Guest, Jamie Draper and Finlay Shorrock as Sphinx looked to put right a disappointing reverse fixture at the Boldmere Community Stadium earlier in the season.
The early part of the game was evenly matched but interrupted by various stoppages before Sphinx went close with the first real chance of note. Jack Downes got in behind in the channel and cut the ball back for Brown. The striker had a couple of bites at it and the Mikes had to clear one off the line to keep the game goalless.
The visitors also had a say in a patchy first quarter. Andre Brown headed wide from a free kick that caused Sphinx a problem from Boldmere's left side.
From there, Boldmere gradually took control and had most of the possession for a spell. Frustratingly, their goal in the 23rd minute was avoidable from a Sphinx point of view.
After the hosts turned over the ball in their defensive third, Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera won a tackle right on the edge of the box before rolling it across the face of goal to leave Owen Parry with the easiest of finishes.
Sphinx responded well to going behind. They had their share of the ball but in truth it was Boldmere who looked more threatening until ten minutes before half time, when the chances started to come the way of the home side.
Brown was in the hunt again, producing a strong run and firing across Tommy Jackson’s goal and just wide. Good pressure up front created an opening for Wood a couple of minutes later. His shot from 20 yards zipped the wrong side of the post.
By the start of the second half around the grounds there was a sense that Sphinx's best hope of getting dragged over the line to safety was to dig something out themselves. They delivered one of their better halves of the season to do exactly that.
Three minutes into the half Brown was a danger again. Nice play by Shorrock and Hayward on the left led to the winger picking out the number nine, who was off-balance as he struck his left-footed shot. Jackson wasn't called into action.
Notwithstanding Pursey’s customary clearance off the line, Sphinx were on top and stayed there for much of the half. The opposition tried all sorts of novel tricks to disrupt and delay the game but the home team had their tails up.
Just before the hour, Sphinx had two quick-fire chances to level the score. Terrific work by Hayward created the opening and Brown’s shot was blocked and looped just wide of Jackson’s post. The corner found its way to Brown again, and he fired over from near the penalty spot.
Ben Usher-Shipway forced Fallows into a save at the other end but Sphinx were now in control of the play. Boldmere were a threat on the break but the home team were pushing them back as they sought an equaliser.
Their moment came with 18 minutes left on the clock. Luke Downes drilled a shot from the edge of the box that looked to have been blocked by a hand. Play continued and Brown was immediately fouled as he drove towards goal. Sphinx were awarded a penalty.
As pressure penalties go, this was right up there. Woodward is just the man for the job, and swept a nerveless kick to Jackson’s right and into the net to make it 1-1. Sphinx were good value for the goal and were given another boost before the restart, when Boldmere’s George Washbourne was shown a red card for dissent.
The result was lots of possession and a handful of half-chances, the best of them Wood’s glancing header just wide in the second phase after a corner with a minute remaining. Boldmere went closest in stoppage time, when a free kick attempt sailed just over the angle.
The hosts will feel they could have turned one point into three at the end of a fine second-half display, but don't underestimate the importance of the single on this occasion.
With two of the teams below Sphinx winning their own home games, keeping the gap up to three points with one game to play was essential. They picked up a deserved draw to put themselves in the driving seat on the final day.
The last fixture for Sphinx is a trip to Hinckley Leicester Road, whose play-off place was locked in with a match to spare. Another point or better would confirm another season of Step Four football. The goal difference buffer is one Woodward and Thomas would prefer not to need.
Sphinx team
Fallows, Pursey, Shorrock, L. Downes, Guest, Draper, J. Downes, Woodward, Brown, Wood, Hayward. Unused subs: Demulder, Castellano, Cristofaro, Edjenguele, Van Den Top