Match Report  |  Coventry Sphinx vs Gresley FC

Although it's far too early to say how the new season might pan out, in this first friendly/training match there were plenty of promising signs to give a glimmer of hope of it being a good one.

Yes, there are a lot of decisions regarding personnel to be made between now and the first league game in mid-August but on this showing the new manager has brought in a few good players.

As is the norm in these very early games many players are given their chance to impress with almost a different team fielded in each half.

Gresley started well but were forced into an early change when Brandon Pooni failed to recover from a hefty Sphinx challenge to be replaced by Courtney Meade who had made just seven appearances last autumn for the visitors.

Meade made an almost immediate impact when he got onto the end of a good cross from the right by James Machin smashing the ball home at the far post.

The second goal came from another good move with Eddy Samba racing down the right. His cross into the Sphinx area was only half cleared to the edge of the area where James Machin was waiting to rifle the ball back into the net.

Gresley were playing some excellent football and another decisive move saw them add to their lead. Chris Richards threaded the ball through the Sphinx back line and into the path of Meade who was racing towards goal and the move was well finished off as he slid the ball past the onrushing keeper.

The visitors were just inches from adding a fourth goal just before the break. Mwanyongo made another good run down the right and his cross was almost stabbed home at the near post by Matt Melbourne.

Gresley made eight changes for the second half but it was the home side who had the first chance of reducing the deficit when they were awarded a penalty but the resulting kick was skewed wide of the post.

As was to be expected the intensity was starting to wain but Gresley were still pushing forward and just after the hour mark they did grab a fourth goal when David Awomono was sent through the middle before coolly beating the keeper.

The visitors very nearly added a fifth but after Melbourne had beaten the keeper to the ball his final touch sent the ball just the wrong side of the post.