COVENTRY Sphinx exited the FA Cup at the extra preliminary round stage after losing 1-0 to lower league Ashby Ivanhoe.
Despite the visitors playing with 10-men for more than an hour after Jack Robinson saw red, Ivanhoe scored the only goal courtesy of Will Robson at Sphinx Industrial Supplies Arena.
Sphinx saw a late penalty appeal turned away in a disappointming start to the season for John Woodward and Shaun Thomas’ side.
Coventry handed debuts to defender Patrick Zito and striker Andre Williams while opponents Ashby play one level below Sphinx in the United Counties League Premier Division North.
After a scrappy start, Kyle Carey unleashed a dipping shot from distance which dropped harmlessly over Brad Catlow’s crossbar.
At the other end, Sphinx stopper Keelan Fallows made a smart save to keep the scores level before Ivanhoe had a goal disallowed for offside.
With tensions rising between the two sets of players, Ashby’s Robinson received his second yellow card on 32 minutes to leave the visitors down a man for the best part of an hour.
After a goalless first half, Sphinx created plenty of chances at the start of the second period.
Midfielder Jack Downes went on a surging run into the penalty area only to see his powerful effort parries by Catlow.
Shortly after, debutant Williams spurned a promising chance while Jac Redhead’s follow-up was cleared off the line.
Sphinx went close again as Carey’s low effort went inches past the post with the home side unable to make the man advantage count.
And Ivanhoe made Sphinx pay for those missed chances when Robson’s high cross from the right ended up in the bottom corner of Fallows’ net.
The home side piled on the pressure at the death and were denied a penalty in injury time despite substitute Stan Dube going to ground in the box under the challenge of an Ivanhoe player.
Coventry begin their league campaign against Shepshed Dynamo on Saturday, August 10 with kick-off at 3pm at the Sphinx Industrial Supplies Arena..
