IT IS set to be business as usual for Coventry’s Midland Football League sides after a league statement confirmed all matches will go ahead this week.
Having been one of a select number of leagues to go ahead in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic last weekend, five of Coventry’s seven MFL sides played as usual – with GNP Sports and Coventry Plumbing the two sides out of action.
GNP’s Division One meeting with Heath Hayes at the Coppice Colliery Ground was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, while Plumbing’s trip to Tipton Town in the Birmingham County Saturday Vase semi-final was waved off after the County FA postponed all matches until April 4.
Premier Division
LEADERS Coventry United showed no symptoms of a slip up after brushing aside Stourport Swifts 3-1 in Terry Anderson’s 200th game in charge.
Anderson, who is assisted by Luke Morton, oversaw another confident display from his side to continue their seven-point advantage at the top over Sporting Khalsa – having played three games more than their rivals.
Chris Camwell’s ninth-minute opener, a first-time half-volley swept low into the far corner of the net, was the perfect way for United to begin proceedings at Butts Park Arena.
Joe Cairns then doubled the lead by glancing home a far-post header from Camwell in the 36th minute, making it five goals in six matches for the forward.
Stourport issued a swift response, pulling a goal back against the run of play when Matt Hanson chested down and fired home Mark Danks’ free-kick from close range two minutes later.
The scores would have been level, but for Michael Quirke’s stunning last-ditch tackle to prevent Joe Billingham before the break.
Quirke then rattled the crossbar with a header as his influential display continued, while United ‘keeper Reece Francis was kept busy by efforts from Lewis Platt and Elliott Lees down the other end.
The game was settled with ten minutes to play when Luke Downes blasted home from Camwell’s free-kick rolled into his path on the edge of the box.
A second yellow card for Stourport’s Martin Slevin in the closing stages completed a frustrating afternoon for the visitors, but another memorable one for the league’s trend setters.
On Saturday, United are scheduled to visit Lye Town (3pm), before Tuesday’s visit to AFC Wulfrunians (7.45pm).
A SECOND-HALF fightback from Coventry Spinx helped snatched a point in a 2-2 draw with Long Eaton United.
Alex Marshall’s seventh-minute opener and a David Kolodynski strike 12 minutes before half-time put the visitors on course for a sixth away win this term.
But Sphinx had other plans, issuing a valiant response in an attempt to rescue the game.
Pryce whipped a strike into the far corner of the net on 55 minutes to give his side some hope, before Colin Smith robbed Long Eaton goalkeeper Brandon Ganley of possession and poked home the equaliser six minutes from time.
John Woodward and Shaun Thomas’ men dropped a place to 14th, but can potentially rise to 12th depending on the outcome of Tuesday night’s game at Walsall Wood (7.45pm).
Sphinx then play host to Romulus at Sphinx Drive on Saturday (3pm).
Division One
TWO late goals from Division One leaders Leicester Road condemned Coventry Copsewood to an agonising 3-2 defeat at the Greene King Stadium.
After going a goal down to Jordan Burrows’ fourth-minute opener, Copsewood hit back positively and restored parity through Ryan Conneely’s tap in from Isa Abraham’s centre.
Abraham almost had a goal for himself when a sublime piece of skill took him past three players, followed by a left-footed drive that seemed destined to be heading in before crashing against the post and out.
Dan Hoskins’ wonder goal from distance put Copsewood in front for the first time midway through the half, a strike that would have been worthy of winning the game.
But when a defensive error allowed Liam Read to head home an 84th-minute equaliser, momentum carried the hosts to victory as Dom Brennan stabbed the ball home two minutes later.
The visitors’ misery was then compounded when Nick Brandish was shown a straight red card.
Fifteenth-placed Copsewood will no doubt remain buoyed by going so close to inflicting damage on the runaway leaders, so spirits are likely to be high when making the trip to Stapenhill on Saturday (3pm).
A home game against Southam in the Coventry Evening Telegraph Cup then follows next Tuesday (7.45pm).
Division Two
COVENTRY Alvis recovered from a three-goal deficit to win a nine-goal thriller 5-4 at Northfield Town and go eighth.
The stunning fightback at Shenley Lane would have been unthinkable at half-time with Alvis staring down the barrel.
But whatever manager Jamie Burkacki said to his troops at the interval worked wonders right from the kick-off as three goals in four minutes restored parity in the blink of an eye.
Substitute Kier Mallen made the perfect impact just seconds after emerging from the bench when thumping a long-range hit into the roof of the net.
Lewis Ludford pulled another back two minutes later when sending the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot, allowing Ryan Palmer to level in the 50th minute with a composed finish.
Then, 16 minutes later, Mallen put the visitors in front for the first time when linking up with Palmer to sweep home his second.
Another assist for Palmer put the rubber stamp on the three points following Adam Bourn’s finish with ten to play, in spite of a late Northfield consolation.
A trip to FC Stratford is Alvis’ latest test on Wednesday night (7.45pm) ahead of Saturday’s away day at Barnt Green Spartak (3pm).
Division Three
COVENTRIANS returned to winning ways by seeing off Continental Star 4-0.
With the club’s Colliery Sports Ground deemed unplayable, the two sides instead fulfilled their fixture on the artificial pitch at Rugby Borough’s Kilsby Lane, where Nathan McGarrity (2), Josh Dixon and Ebenezer Fasoranti were on target.
Moving a place to seventh, Coventrians now make the trip to Inkberrow’s Sands Road on Saturday to fight it out for a place in the MFL Challenge Vase final (3pm).
