Season 07-08 : FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round : Match Report

TEVERSAL  2  -  2  COVENTRY SPHINX Prepared by Kevin Newton

TEVERSAL - Wilson J., Tighe, Townroe (Lyall 65), Holmes, Short G., Giles, Rhodes L. (Walker 29), Scott, Short D., Woodcock (Clarke 84), Stokes. Subs Not Used – Hauton, Thacker.

COVENTRY SPHINX - Harrison, McGregor, Knibbs, Drennan, Ward, Bowen, Halton, Rhodes K., Martin (Harris 64), Stevenson (Woodward 86), Murdock (Pulford 73). Subs Not Used – Wilson I., Fisher.

REFEREE - Mr A.P. Barney from Coalville.

MAN OF MATCH - Teversal – Sam Holmes, Coventry Sphinx – Jerome Murdock

ATTENDANCE - 104

"TRUE FA CUP MAGIC" All the splendour and magic associated to the worlds most famous club cup competition came to Carnarvon Street on Saturday when Coventry Sphinx played their first ever FA Cup tie in their 61 year history. Even though the visitors play at a step higher than Teversal in the National League System by playing in the Midland Football Alliance, Teversal certainly played their part in this classic. In fact it was Teversal who started the brightest and look most threatening going forward, in a closely fought out first half, with the Tevie Boys causing the visitors numerous problems from numerous corners in the opening 10 minutes, but the home side failed to deliver the quality finish to punish Sphinx. On 14 minutes it looked like the Tevie Boys had took a deserved lead, Lee Rhodes found his midfield partner Scott who placed his well hit effort marginally wide of the upright with Harrison in the visitors goal remaining motionless. This was the key that saw Coventry to start and have a share of the play and show their attacking prowess with Jerome Murdock looking a threat to the home side with his pace. But when Murdock found himself with time and space after an excellent through ball from McGregor, the Sphinx striker was denied by a stunning tackle from Gav Short, to deny what turned out to be the only first half threat from the visitors. Even though the game had levelled out some, Teversal continued to have the upper hand and was rewarded when they took the lead on 34 minutes. Townroe was strong in a 50/50 challenge before releasing Dean Short down the Teversal left before the striker delivered an inch perfect cross for Woodcock to raise above all to powerfully head home and give the Tevie Boys their deserved lead. With the home side dominance, the visitors were happy to defend in numbers, but showed their quality by playing their way out of defence with Murdock and Martin showing the discipline to remain good outlets and ease the pressure on their defensive team mates. The second half started in the same vain and on 59 minutes the home side should have doubled their lead when Tighe’s defence splitting pass found Dean Short with time and space before deciding to opt to round Harrison in the visitors goal, but the Keeper did well and drove the striker wide and saved his effort from an acute angle. But only a minute later Short showed his true class when he latched onto Woodcocks flick on to cleverly lob the advancing Harrison to put a true 2-0 reflection on the game. But controversy was to give Coventry a helping hand back into the game, on 63 minutes a defining part of the game, when the Referee awarded what can only be classed as a “highly disputed penalty” and had it been on TV the Referee would clearly be lambasted for this shocking decision, with Murdock going down under Holmes challenge with day light between the two as the ball ran out for what should have been a goal kick. Mr Barney obviously seem something to award the penalty, credit to Craig Martin who then fired home a perfect penalty that sent Wilson the wrong way to make the score 2-1. The controversy certainly had an effect on both sides, Teversal lost there way and Coventry simply had a boost that they didn’t deserve at this point, but their dominance from this unacceptable intervention saw them dominate the remaining 30minutes. So when substitute Pulford powerfully headed home an excellent delivered free kick by Stevenson the visitors had pulled level on 76 minutes and certainly had the home side on the back foot. Sphinx nearly nicked the tie when Kyle Rhodes hit an 83rd minute speculative effort that had Wilson in the Teversal goal well beaten, but the effort clipped the top of the bar and out to safety. Teversal composed themselves and managed to quell any further advances and actually created openings themselves, with Stokes and Walker going close. On the whole the game had a bit of everything and made for an excellent spectacle and on the final whistle the relief shown by the visitors clearly showed they feel they have this tie won now, with the Tevie Boys clearly disappointed that they hadn’t finished the job of after taking control of the game. All this now adds up to an intriguing replay on Wednesday 22nd August 2007, kick off 7.45pm in Coventry. A coach will be leaving for Coventry from Carnarvon Street on Wednesday at 5.00pm. On Saturday Teversal return to league action with a trip to Leeds to face Yorkshire Amateurs, meeting at 12.00noon to leave 12.15pm from Carnarvon Street.