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Coventry Sphinx striker Kelvin Phillips, who scored an 86th minute winner when Rocester went down 3-2 at Sphinx Drive back in October, incredibly repeated the feat by scoring the only goal of the game at exactly the same stage at Hillsfield on Tuesday evening.
Phillips sealed the points for the visitors when he stabbed the ball into the net from close range after Rocester had failed to clear a free kick, but it was a cruel ending for the Romans who once again had put everything into the game.
The players responded to Dave Langston’s first game in charge with a spirited performance, chasing and battling for every ball and, at times during the second half in particular, playing some neat football going forward.
However, they were up against an equally determined Sphinx outfit, and that resulted in a game of few chances as the two teams largely cancelled each other out.
In fairness to the visitors, they probably created the clearer chances over the 90 minutes, with Richard Froggatt in the Rocester goal pulling off a notable save to deny Adam Kinder 30 minutes into the game following Callum Woodward’s burst down the right, and another midway through the second period when he dived to his right to hold Woodward’s strong header.
But Rocester kept Carl O’Neill’s hands warm at the other end through Dean Watkiss, who saw two well-struck efforts from distance comfortably held by the keeper, while Ashley Justin got up well to meet Josh Butler’s free kick only for his header to fly a yard over the bar.
The Romans were well-served by local youngster Sam Wain who impressed in midfield, and right-back Dan McLeod who returned to the club from Brereton Social after leaving in October.
Langston’s first new signing, Danny Lowndes, also did well on his debut after replacing injured skipper Chris McComisky at half time.
It was only in the final ten minutes or so that the Romans began to struggle a little defensively, giving away a number of free kicks in dangerous positions as the visitors pushed on to try and win the game, and when the chance eventually came along Phillips made no mistake to break Rocester’s resistance.
Scorers: Sphinx: Phillips (86).
Romans: Froggatt; McLeod; Butler; Mason (McGinley 72); McComisky (Lowndes 46); Justin; Watkiss; Wain; Hodson; Redshaw; Hewitt (Bailey 80). Subs not used: Langridge.
Sphinx: O’Neill; Goodbody (Muldoon 82); McAteer; Manak (Kimberlin 46); Ward; Haywood; Doherty; Rhodes; Kinder (Ruff 72); Woodward; Phillips. Subs not used: Daffern; Wilson-King.
Yellow Cards: Romans - Justin, Wain. Sphinx – Goodbody.
Referee: Mr. J. Clark (Walsall).
Attendance: 60. |