Lye Town 1-1 Coventry Sphinx
Stuart Guest
After defeat two days earlier, Coventry Sphinx bounced back to claim a vital point away at Lye Town on Easter Monday and boost their prospects of avoiding relegation from the Pitching In Northern Premier League Midlands.
Leo Brown scored the first goal of his second spell at Sphinx with just five minutes remaining, securing a 1-1 draw against a Flyers side still in the hunt for a play-off place.
Brown was flanked up front by Cam Moore and Ashton Demulder as joint managers John Woodward and Shaun Thomas navigated the absence of Jordan Hayward, while Jack Downes came into midfield alongside brother Luke and Sphinx skipper Callum Woodward.
Jamie Draper started at centre back next to Louis Guest, and full backs Joe Pursey and Finlay Shorrock continued in the back four in front of goalkeeper Keelan Fallows.
The game took its time to really get going despite an end-to-end start. Lye squeezed Sphinx briefly, then vice versa, but neither could muster any early chances to show for it.
The first quarter of the match was anything but timid, lacking only in meaningful attempts on goal. The first shot of note arrived in the 23rd minute and sailed harmlessly over both Fallows and his crossbar.
That effort didn't give cause for concern but it did help spark the match into action. Sphinx immediately hit back through nice play by Jack Downes and Brown, who sent a high ball in behind for Moore.
Moore, in his second Sphinx start, did brilliantly to pull the ball down and get a shot off. Flyers goalkeeper Ben Newey was off his line smartly to block Moore’s attempted lob and keep the game scoreless.
The visitors had grown into the task and were holding their own. Lye caused consistent problems with their direct play and their quality in the final third when they were able to make the ball stick up front.
The first half was close but not overly defensive. Nevertheless, there wasn't a great deal of attacking joy for either side before Lye opened the scoring six minutes before half time.
Fallows got across goal to save a powerful shot from the edge of the box but wasn't able to smother the ball. Prince Henry, following in for the Flyers, couldn't miss from close range and gave his team the lead.
Sphinx had a couple of chances to equalise before the break. Woodward set pieces served them both up. First, a long free kick dropped on the penalty spot and Newey had to save from Demulder’s glancing header. Then, from a corner, a header by Guest produced the same outcome.
Lye took the one-goal lead into the break and the second half began just as the first had ended. The home team attacked down their left, crossed the ball and sent an improvised knee shot over the bar. Newey gathered a cross from Demulder that screwed towards the target.
Sphinx needed to get the ball down and play with more patience, and a shift in approach from joint managers Woodward and Thomas ten minutes into the half had the desired effect. Demulder had given Lye a few things to think about defensively but made way for Leo Wood as the visitors added more central firepower and tweaked their tactics to make the most of it.
On the hour, a frantic goal-mouth scramble almost resulted in a Sphinx goal. Brown dragged the ball just wide after a Jack Downes shot was superbly blocked on the line.
Draper put in an otherwise impressive performance in his first start at centre back since returning from injury but his wayward backpass left Lye with a golden opportunity to double their advantage. The eventual shot over the bar was a relief to the visitors.
Fallows got his fingertips to a deflected shot from distance, turning it onto the post in the middle of a half that grew increasingly tense and became harder to referee with every passing minute.
With a little under 20 minutes remaining, the away team started to turn the screw as they sought an equalising goal. Moore tried to catch Newey out with a curling left-footed shot from 30 yards out but it curved harmlessly wide of goal.
Newey added to his collection of contributions in goal, saving one-on-one from Wood after some clever footwork from the Sphinx substitute. As the visitors cranked up the pressure, Lye had Newey to thank for keeping them in front.
Sphinx got their moment five minutes from time, benefiting from two pieces of real quality. Jack Downes did well to deliver any kind of cross with the ball starting to run away from him on the right. His delivery was perfect.
The cross took Newey out of the picture and found Brown at the back post. The striker got in front of his markers and lifted the ball into the roof of the net with his thigh. It was a deft finish and Sphinx were level.
There was still time for action at either end. Fallows made a tremendous save with Sphinx under pressure in the last minute of normal time. At the other end, a foul by Lye captain Ben Billingham in the seventh minute of stoppage time earned him a second yellow card.
Woodward’s free kick was off target and the referee blew the final whistle to end a full-blooded affair with honours even and the points shared.
This Bank Holiday Monday draw was a satisfying way to kick off the final month of the season, not least because the team had to dig deep and really earn the point against opponents who were promoted last season and just kept on rolling.
The visitors had the better chances but the outcome was the right one and by no means disappointing. Sphinx moved a game closer to safety thanks to a number of results going against the teams around them, and there's no sign of complacency as the run-in heats up.
Another busy week awaits. Walsall Wood visit the Sphinx Industrial Supplies Arena on Saturday 6th April before the rearranged home fixture against Shepshed Dynamo on Tuesday 9th.
Sphinx team
Fallows, Pursey, Shorrock, L. Downes (Castellano), Guest, Draper, Demulder (Wood), Woodward, Brown, J. Downes, Moore. Unused sub: Edjenguele