Sunday 8th September k.o. 2:00pm
Venue: Coronation Park, Chewton Street, Eastwood.
Admission : FOC
Sunday afternoon football at my “spiritual” home – why not? Eastwood had reached this stage of the competition with victories over local teams, Arnold Town and Rise Park, earning the club £800.00 in prize money. Coventry Sphinx ply their trade in West Midlands Regional Football League Div 1, so in effect play one step lower than the Lady Badgers.
Club status can amount to nothing in cup games, and Eastwood had to deal with early pressure from their visitors before they took the lead in the 8th minute when Paige Singleton curled the ball into the far corner from just inside the box. The lead lasted barely three minutes though, Faye Birch hitting a terrific shot form 30 yards that Eastwood keeper Vanessa Kinnerley could only watch in despair as it flew past her.
Bonnie Mountford gave Coventry the lead on 19, volleying home at the near post. Eastwood went further behind on 31 – this time a long ball from their keeper was collected by Mountford who ran into the area before slotting the ball under Kinnerley. The home team did manage to reduce the deficit in the 2nd minute of added time, Chantelle Robinson firing home. H-T 2-3
Sphinx tried the long ball to Mountford tactic a few times early in the second half, but Eastwood had by now sussed this out and were looking the more likely to score the next goal. Their equalising goal came on 56 after a mad scramble at the near post was eventually hacked over the line by an Eastwood player.
On 77, Robinson curled a neat effort from the corner of the box into the far corner of the net to put Eastwood back in front, then 10 minutes later it was game over when a neat passing move ended with Amy Townsend firing the ball across the goal to where Holly Brindley was waiting to side-foot home. F-T 5-3
So, a further £500.00 added to the kitty – and a 1st round proper tie to look forward to on or around 12th November! Link to the F.A. website
