Stratford Catch Sphinx Napping

Last updated : 09 April 2008 By Kev Monks at Sphinx Drive
Coventry Sphinx were beaten 5-1 at home by Stratford Town tonight in a Midland Alliance fixture.

Micky Moore's side took the lead in the 13th minute when Sam Malsom was sent clear by a ball which by passed the Sphinx midfield and slotted the ball under Chris Daffern.

A second goal came seven minutes later from a penalty. Stephen Ruck was pulled down by Daffern and James Petty slotted home the resulting penalty.

Sphinx had chances to get back in the match with the best falling to Chris Harris in the 34th minute and forced the Stratford keeper Simon Lynn into a good save.

Four minutes into the second half, a long ball was collected by James Byrne who flicked the ball past the advancing Daffern for the visitors third.

In the 68th minute, Stratford were awarded a penalty. Both sets of supporters stood in disbelief as both attackers and defenders went for the ball. There was no incident or anything untoward. However, referee Gavin Stanley decided that it was a penalty and Malsom gave Daffern no chance from the spot.

A mistake in the Sphinx defence and keeper Chris Daffern missing the ball in the pouring rain, gave Steve Ruck a simple 84th minute tap in for the fifth goal of the evening.

But the action was not over and Sphinx, who are in the bottom four but maybe safe if some of the Leicestershire based clubs are allowed to join the new league at the same level comprisiing of teams from Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire being set up to start next season, gave their supporters some cheer when youngster Tom Haywood headed home from a corner in stoppage time.

There was good news for Sphinx's youth team who kept up their hopes of winning the Eastern Division of the Midland Floodlit Youth League. In their final game of the season, Sphinx won 4-0 at Southam with Michael Wallace hitting a hat-trick and Danny Pittaway also on the scoresheet.

Sphinx have 50 points from 22 matches, whilst second placed Bedworth have 46 points from twenty matches after a 5-0 home win tonight.