LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY FC 3-2. COVENTRY SPHINX FC
Sphinx: Gavin Downes, Tom Muldoon, Chris Sockett (Jacob Dodds 81), Robbie Banks, Jack Rooney, Luke.Downes, Jackson Downie, Ryan Quinn, David Blenkinsopp, Richard Blythe, Mitchell Thomson (Charlie Wilson 89). Subs: David Akinuli.
Loughborough Uni: Chris O'Keefe, Elliott Legg, Andy Bridge, Dan Brenan, Callum Williams, Cameron Gray. Kumbirai Mutamba, Jack Poxon (George Carpenter 81), James Winchester (Ben Ward-Cochrane 56), Josh Hill (Jermiah Dasalou 63), Alun Webb. Subs Matt Stock, Cameron Gordon.
HT LUFC 0-1 CSFC
FT LUFC 3-2 CSFC
ATT 106
Referee Trevor Sharatt. Assts Mariuz Tomon & Chris Ward
Goals Mitch Thomson 21 & 74, Ben Ward-Cochrane 64 & 88, Andy Bridger 94
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Coventry Sphinx were denied a win by two late goals at Loughborough University.
With new manager Robbie Banks having to name himself in the starting line up due to a number of pre-game drop outs, his side was vastly changed to the one which lost to Brocton in the FA Vase.
At the Loughborough University Stadium, Sphinx were out of the blocks early winning a corner and having Mitch Thomson fire over in the ninth minute and again two minutes later.
In the fourteenth minute, Banks went on a thirty yard run before sending a pile driver of a shot inches over Chris O'Keefe's crossbar.
Seven minutes later and Sphinx took the lead when Thomson raced on a Blenkinsopp ball and round the keeper to score.
A 38th minute free kick just missed the far post for Sphinx who were defending stoutly and cleared a 40th minute corner.
Rich Blythe hit the post for Sphinx who had to clear a 58th minute corner off the line.
Thomson got on to a Blenkinsopp ball and curled over but in the 64th minute, Loughborough drew level when the ball held up in the wind and Ben Ward-Cochrane got onto a loose ball and tapped it into the empty net.
Parity was only restored for ten minutes as Blythe played a superb ball to send Mitchell Thomson in on the left. Thomson kept his cool and Sphinx were back in front.
However, two minutes from time, Loughborough won a corner that was not properly cleared and Ben Ward Cochrane lashed the ball into the net.
Four minutes into stoppage time and the home side attacked again and Andy Bridge headed into the net to send Sphinx to defeat.