There are times when your name is on a trophy and for Coventry Sphinx it was the Birmingham County FA Midweek Floodlit Cup which skipper Danny McSheffrey lifted after an extra time victory against Dudley Town.
On a sunny evening at Solihull Borough's Damson Park,Paul Charnley's side needed less than four minutes to take the lead. A ball by Jerome Murdock was not cleared by the defence of the West Midlands League Premier Division and fell for Covsupport sponsored Danny McSheffrey on the edge of the area to lash the ball into the net before racing to celebrate with the Sphinx. support.
Danny McSheffrey
Those watching this fourth final of the Midweek Floodlit Cup saw Sphinx keeper Chris Daffern save from Makis before Chris Harris thumped a 14th minute header onto the bar from five yards.
Casey Caggini fired over with a 28th minute free kick before he was harshly cautioned by the Stourbridge based referee.
Dudley who are also based at Stourbridge until the end of this season went close in the 39th minute through a Makis effort. Drennan cleared twice off his line as the half came to a close.
A niggly second period ensued,Dudley relied on the counter attack and in the 68th minute,Christof Makis broke through to equalise.
Man Of the match keeper Chris Daffern made two superb saves as Dudley piled on the pressure. and ensured that the game went into extra time.
Paul Charnley and his assistants Martin Smith and Lynton Wilkinson rallied their troops. Things were tight with neither side getting advantage.
Then in the 11th minute, the ball found Craig Martin unmarked on the edge of the area and the experienced marksman made no mistake volleying a low effort home.
The smiles were back on the faces of the Sphinx supporters and they grew bigger two minutes later when Mark Owen broke down the right and finished smartly.
There was still plenty of drama as substitute Peta Jon Gordon cut inside the area and drove the ball into the net for the fourth in the 116th minute
Dudley responded through Christof Makis who timed his run to score a consolation in the final minute.
In stoppage time, Dudley's night got worse when their skipper Dannii Koumi caught his studs in the ground and was stretchered off.
Goals Danny McSheffrey (3.55),Christof Makis (68 & 119),Craig Martin (111), Mark Owen (113),PJ Gordon (116)
Booked Caggini (31),Makis (50),Koumi (52),Ward (54),Drennan (87)Stevenson (114)
Sphinx
Daffern,Owen,Knibbs,Dreenan,Ward,Winterbottom, Woodward (Stevenson 64), McSheffrey, Murdock (Gordon 74),Caggini,Harris (Martin 59)
SNU Fisher,Haywood
Dudley Town
Pemberton,Waterhouse,Singh,Koumi (off 120),Brown,Blair (Richards 114),Foster (Nesbitt 64),Shielis,Lawley,Makis,Perks
Subs Rowe,Beresford,Ashton.