Coventry Sphinx 3 Rocester 2

A goal four minutes from time condemned an injury-hit Rocester side to a narrow defeat at Sphinx Drive on Saturday.

Alan Beaman’s side had looked set for a share of the spoils after putting up a good performance against their well-organised and physically stronger opponents, but with time running out much-travelled striker Kelvin Phillips thundered in at the near post to head Adrian Fisher’s corner past Richard Froggatt, sending the Romans home point-less.

Beaman re-shuffled his pack to include young defender Matt Walker at right-back, and there was also a place for creative midfielder Keenen Meakin-Richards in the starting eleven following his midweek return from Willenhall Town, and his probing passes were instrumental as Rocester made a bright start to the game.

The Romans deservedly took the lead after sixteen minutes through Adam Hewitt, who thrashed the ball into the net from six yards after Dean Watkiss’s dipping effort from the right of the penalty area came back off the bar.

Just three minutes later Shawn Salmon came within inches of doubling the lead when his well-struck twenty-yarder also smacked the bar, but this time the ball was cleared away before any of the Rocester forwards could pounce on the loose ball.

While Rocester were looking dangerous going forward they were being kept busy at the back by veteran striker Iyseden Christie, who has over 350 Football League appearances under his belt.

It was Christie who set up Sphinx’s 29th minute equaliser with a powerful run down the left and a pin-point cross that was finished off by Michael Martin’s simple far post header.

Ten minutes into the second half Christie was again the thorn in Rocester’s side when he drilled the ball firmly past Froggatt from twelve yards after Rocester failed to clear their lines properly.

Although Sphinx were now on top Rocester kept on working and they found a way back on 73 minutes when Mark Hodson, making his 100th appearance for the club, earned a penalty when his flick was handled just inside the area. Shawn Salmon confidently slotted the spot kick past Carl O’Neill to level things up again.

Froggatt made an excellent save from Christie after he had held off Darren Bullock’s challenge, but could do nothing to prevent substitute Phillips from securing the points with his late intervention.

Scorers: Sphinx: Martin (29), Christie ( 55), Phillips (86). Romans: Hewitt (16), S.Salmon (73 pen).

Sphinx: O’Neill; Muldoon; Doherty; Fisher; McAteer (Jardim 15); A.Wilson-King; Manak; Halton (Donaldson 65); Martin (Phillips 80); Christie; Ruff. Subs not used: Haywood; C.Wilson-King.

Romans: Froggatt; Walker; Butler; Meakin-Richards; Bullock; McComisky; Hewitt; Hodson; T.Salmon (McGinley 75); S.Salmon; Watkiss (Redshaw 65). Subs not used: Johnson; Sheridan; Justin.

Yellow Cards: A.Wilson-King (Sphinx). Bullock, S.Salmon (Romans).

Referee: Mr. D. Crowe (Hinckley).

Attendance: 84.

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