Lge (H)
Won 2-1
(H/T 1-1)
Moulton consolidated their position in the top 5 of the United Counties League Premier Division South with a workmanlike performance against a very good Coventry Sphinx side at Brunting Rd.

The Magpies were without the Australia bound Terry Falcini, Mo Khan on International Duty with Bangladesh and Lewis Isom who was suffering a thigh injury.

The home side got off to a dream start and took the lead after only 2 minutes when ADAM DICKS overlapped on the right before bursting into the box and finding the bottom corner. Coventry replied not long after and a near post header from a corner went just wide. The visitors were having more of the ball but on more than one occasion Moulton broke up attacks and with a little more guile could have punished the Sphinx but crucial passes were mis-hit or intercepted and that proved important on 20 minutes.

Justin Mensah brought down a visitor’s attacker just inside the box and Dylan Parker beat Adam North from the spot to level the scores. Coventry were looking the better side with Moulton forced into a rear-guard action for the rest of the half although Lachi Codrington had a half chance on 45 mins but shot straight at Leo Webster in the visitor’s goal.

HALF TIME : MOULTON 1 COVENTRY SPHINX 1

The Magpies started the stronger at the start of the second half and Dicks again got into the box but dragged his shot wide of the target and on 50 minutes they should have been awarded a penalty. A cross from the right was met by Kobi Bivens and as he got his shot away, he was clattered from behind by a Coventry defender, but the referee waved away the protests. Lewis Fisher was sin binned minutes later for words spoken and during his spell on the side lines the visitors had a chance that went just over following a corner.

In an effort force the issue Manager Gary Petts made 3 changes but still the visitors pressed and had a couple of chances one which went wide and North easily saved the other. With Sphinx not taking chances the writing was on the wall for them especially with the Magpies knack of grabbing late goals and that duly arrived with 8 minutes left.

Dicks set substitute Toby Sainsbury away on the right, and his cross was met around the penalty spot by BIVENS who left Parker helpless as he side footed into the bottom corner. Instead of settling for this Moulton continued to press and Luke Stevens forced Parker to tip over a long-range effort and then in the final minute Nat Ansu missed a golden chance and Bivens fired over from close range when the ball was recycled by Dicks. This defeat will have been a tough one to take for Coventry who on balance of play probably deserved a point from the game but as a group Moulton defended superbly, marshalled by Stevens and Dante Grey at the back and took their chances when they came and that proved pivotal.

FINAL SCORE MOULTON 2 COVENTRY SPHINX 1

TEAM. North, Dicks, Osoimoeijokhian, Stevens, Grey, White, Codrington (Andrews 90+4) Mensah, (Sainsbury 68), Bivens, Fisher (Aluko 75), Prifti (Ansu 68)

Editor - Steve Alibone