LUKE Shearer’s injury-time penalty ensured Coventry Sphinx completed a league double over local rivals Racing Club Warwick.
Shearer’s 92nd-minute penalty earned Sphinx the derby day spoils after Kyle Carey and Harvey Smith had twice put the visitors ahead in the first half at Townsend Meadow.
The Racers twice drew level courtesy of Max McNulty’s penalty and James Hancocks’ second-half strike only for Shearer’s penalty to settle the game at the death.
And the result means Coventry sit 17th in the Northern Premier League Midlands table on 45 points with one game left to play this season.
With safety already secured, Sphinx made the perfect start when Carey showed great composure in the box before coolly firing a shot into the bottom right corner after just four minutes.
However, the home side equalised on 18 minutes as Josh Flynn went to ground in the box and the referee pointed to the spot as McNulty converted the resulting spot kick.
Sphinx reclaimed the lead in first-half injury time when Smith looped a header over the onrushing Sam Lomax from Harry Wakefield’s lofted through ball.
The hosts levelled the game for a second time on 70 minutes as Hancocks rose highest to head in Harry Eden’s floated cross from the right at the back post.
However, in a late twist, a clumsy challenge in the box saw Shearer win a penalty as the substitute picked himself up and fired the resulting spot kick down the middle of the goal.
Warwick threw bodies forward in search of a late equaliser as Sphinx held on to claim a 3-2 victory and complete a league double over their local rivals.
Coventry finish the season with a home game against Anstey Nomads on Saturday, April 26 with kick-off at 3pm at the Sphinx Industrial Supplies Arena.
