Coventry Sphinx (U18s) 1-2 Doncaster Rovers (U18s)

Coventry Sphinx (U18s) 1-2 Doncaster Rovers (U18s)
FA Youth Cup First Round
Wednesday 4th November 2020

This fixture was always going to present a very different kind of challenge for Doncaster Rovers and it's one which they overcame to progress to the Second Round of the FA Youth Cup.

Played on a bobbly, slightly sloping pitch in freezing temperatures in Warwickshire, attributes such as character, commitment and mental toughness were always going to be fundamental in any success. Coventry Sphinx, previously unbeaten this season, were an imposing side with numerous 'big lads' and they gave it a damn good go in their quest to pull off a cup shock.

The passage was sealed thanks to two goals by Luca Nelson and two assists by Owan Derrett.

His early opener, inside five minutes, had an element of good fortune about it as the 'keeper should have done better, although an upset looked possible when the hosts equalised just after half-time. Rovers' nerves were jangling even more when Sphinx then rattled the post with a swerving long-range shot soon afterwards, but Nelson's looping header on the hour mark ensured a 2-1 success.

Overall, it wasn't pretty at times. It was scrappy, niggly and, predictably, Coventry battled valiantly and applied pressure right up until the final whistle - delivering some great balls into the box throughout. Most importantly, however, Rovers' efforts were enough to get the job done and set up a Second Round visit to the KC Stadium where they'll face Hull City.

The win did come at a cost as tenacious midfielder Charlie Bell suffered ankle damage inside the opening few minutes which eventually forced him off, whilst Max Jemson was later substituted with what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

Boss Paul Stancliffe made one change to the team which won thanks to a dramatic injury-time goal at Notts County last Saturday as Michael Nesbitt came into the starting xi in place of Will Hollings.

It meant Rovers lined up with Ben Bottomley in goal; Tom Henson and Lewis Cunningham at right-back and left-back respectively, whilst the centre-back partnership was Max Jemson and Michael Nesbitt. Ethan Bojang, who was skipper, was alongside Charlie Bell and Josh Clemitson in midfield with Luca Nelson, Corie Cole and Owan Derrett favoured in attack.

As expected, Coventry began the game fired up and determined to make a positive start.

They won a free-kick just inside the Rovers' half inside the first minute and the subsequent ball found an unmarked player in the box who saw his effort blocked by Henson. Bottomley wasn't happy and just minutes later he was called into action for the first time when he had to tip away a corner which was fizzed right under his crossbar.

It was surprising, therefore, that just a minute later, Doncaster went ahead.

There were screams for handball when Nesbitt slid in with a challenge around 30 yards from his own goal but play continued and Derrett soon found himself chasing the ball down the inside-right channel. The 'keeper, off his line but inside his own box, seemed favourite to get to there first but instead, the Doncaster player nipped in and twisted and turned at a tight angle with the 'keeper scampering back towards his covering defender on the goal-line.

Derrett's eventual pass across the six-yard box reached Nelson whose initial bundled attempt didn't quite cross the line, but with the ball still loose (and certainly not quite in the 'keepers grasp) his persistence resulted in it ending up in the back of the net. It was a scrappy goal; the Sphinx 'keeper may have even got the final touch though it didn't matter. Rovers were 1-0 up.

There wasn't exactly a plethora of chances, thereafter, throughout the rest of the first half.

Donny looked decent on the ball and had one or two good, quick, clever passing interchanges, though their counterparts had more possession, more of the territorial play and always looked a threat from either balls into the box from open play or set-pieces.

A devastated Bell (who suffered his ankle knock in the first minute) was replaced by Dan Wilds just after the quarter-hour mark and Rovers had two chances around this point with Henson seeing a 20-yard shot routinely kept out by the 'keeper following a good team move, whilst Nelson went closer when he forced a near-post save on 22 minutes.

It was a decent period in the game for the lads though Coventry were competing well and they spurned a gloriously good opportunity to get back on level terms in a counter-attack on the half-hour mark.

A Doncaster free-kick was smashed long and away from danger with the ball dropping at Henson who was stationed as the covering defender. He was immediately under pressure and a combination of the bounce and the bobbly pitch caused him problems and suddenly resulted in a Sphinx attacker galloping past him to burst through into a one-on-one. 

The noise levels amongst the sell-out home crowd immediately increased as they sensed a goal. Composure was crucial but the player lashed at his shot - blazing wide from 20 yards and probably not realising he had a better option of playing in a team-mate who'd taken up an even better position alongside him. It was the hosts' best opening up to this point and there were no doubt a few lads in hooped shirts breathing a huge sigh of relief in the aftermath!

Rovers' injury issues then mounted as Jemson went down and needed treatment from the physio. It quickly became apparent that the big defender wouldn't be able to continue and as a result Will Hollings was readied for action. His introduction also brought about an impromptu tactical reshuffle as Clemitson dropped back to partner Nesbitt in defence.

Hollings was involved in the action straight away and helped link-up a few moves. He also provided a glorious ball into the box from the right flank, just moments before Nesbitt had a shot blocked as Rovers searched for a second goal.

Sphinx responded with pressure of their own in the minutes immediately prior to the half-time whistle with Henson bravely getting in the way of a powerful drive. Another corner-kick played right under the crossbar needed to be watched ever so carefully by Bottomley as well.

It remained 1-0 by the interval and at this point, despite probably not being the better passing or 'footballing' team, the hosts had certainly imposed themselves well and had their moments. What they needed to do now was force the 'keeper into some meaningful action. What Rovers required, on the other hand, was a second goal to put themselves in a properly commanding position.

Within five minutes of the re-start, there was a goal - for Coventry Sphinx!

After breaking away down the right flank, Nesbitt slid in with an untidy challenge and caught more of his opponent than the ball so was correctly yellow carded. The danger was now obvious and from the subsequent left-footed (and in-swinging) free-kick, a Sphinx player rose highest to make a firm connection and saw his powerful, well-placed header fly into the net.

With momentum in their favour, the hosts then dominated much of the next five minutes or so and soon came within a whisker of completing the turnaround altogether when No.7 (who had a fine game) received possession just into the final third, took the ball forward a few yards and let fly with an adulterated 25-yard thunderous hammer-shot which swerved viciously in mid-air and came flying back off the post before Rovers' defence frantically scrambled away the danger amidst a back-drop of gasps from the excited home crowd who sensed a cup shock might well happen.

Moments later, there were more 'heart in mouth' moments when Bottomley was required to rush from the goal-line and smother the ball into his grasp at the feet of an attacker who, otherwise, would have been able to latch onto a through ball and pull the trigger.

It was clear at this stage, Rovers needed to compose themselves and settle down.

They managed to do so and actually put the ball in the net just before the hour mark, only for the referee to have already blown his whistle following an earlier foul on the edge of the box.

Although that set-piece didn't come to anything; a free-kick routine culminated in a low shot being easily blocked, Nelson's persistence less than 30 seconds later meant the visitors won a corner. Again, the initial set-piece was cleared by Coventry's imposing back-line but Rovers soon won back possession and recycled the move.

From the second phase of play, Derrett delivered cross from the inside-left towards the head of Nelson whose crisp contact with a looping header was too much the 'keeper and the ball ended up in the back of the net. In contrast to only a few minutes earlier, when Sphinx's followers were optimistic, it was now eerily quiet as the lads celebrated in the low mist in one corner of the pitch.

The game remained far from over, however, and if one thing was for certain in the hour up to this point, it was that the hosts were capable of causing problems with their quality from wide areas.

That said, on 62 minutes, the result could have been put to bed. Cunningham's left-sided cross was cleared but once more, Donny quickly got back possession and the ball ended up at Nelson's feet on the edge of the 'D' from where he tried his luck with a dipping effort that just went wide.

Just into the final quarter of the game, Nelson's persistence posed more problems as his near-post dummy following some good work on the inside-right by Derrett, nearly fooled the home 'keeper who dived on the ball in his goalmouth just mili-seconds before Bojang could latch onto it.

It was inevitable at some stage that Coventry would throw the proverbial 'kitchen sink' at Rovers and the majority of the final 20 minutes was pretty much one-way traffic as they carried out an aerial bombardment from wide areas and a string of corners.

A second equaliser almost came when the ball dropped fortuitously for a striker around eight yards out whose goalbound effort drew an instinctive reaction save by Bottomley, with the subsequent follow-up from a tight angle being drilled into the side-netting. Five minutes later, they went close again as a downward header following a right-sided corner went narrowly wide.

Derrett forced a near-post stop from a tight angle as Doncaster now enjoyed what was a rare foray upfield and it was to be his last major contribution as the fresh legs of Alex Wolny were introduced in the third and final substitution by Stancliffe.

Coventry continued to dominate but they weren't quite able to muster up the gilt-edged opportunity which they craved. Instead, they were restricted to half-chances. A somewhat tame 30-yard drive was straight at Bottomley whilst, in the final few minutes, the Rovers 'keeper also had to palm away yet another vicious in-swinging corner that was put right under his bar with the subsequent follow-up effort being harmlessly put into the side-netting.

Despite their best efforts thereafter, including during four tense minutes of injury-time, it wasn't to be for the hosts and there was a feeling of relief probably more than anything else, come the final whistle amongst the visiting players.

Ultimately, this was always going to be a tough test in uncomfortable surroundings which would highlight the resolve amongst the lads. It was never going to be easy, it was always going to be an important fixture in their development and a good learning curve for so many players in so many ways.

The preparations - including a pre-match meal in a hotel and travelling to Coventry on a coach, should offer a very small glimpse of what goes into a first team away game. The gritty, hard and tough matchday surroundings (the ground being a stereotypical set-up for the lower reaches of non-league football) plus a team who were physically stronger and more imposing, plus a crowd who were willing to see Coventry Sphinx progress, should harden their character.

The lads' reward for this victory is now a trip to the KC Stadium where they'll play Hull City in the Second Round. It's a trip which will be the complete polar opposite to this one as it'll take place in comfortable settings on a pristine pitch which was staging Premier League football not too long ago. The game itself will represent a different test as Hull are a 'Category 2' academy which means Rovers will go into it as underdogs looking to pull off a cup shock of their own.

I don't quite know when the next game will be that I'm able to attend (thanks Boris!) though I'm glad I could make it to this one. I'll put something else up over the coming days, reflecting on the season as a whole up to this point and looking at the progress which has been made - both individually with players and collectively as a team as I've seen enough games now this season to form opinions.

There's still a long way to go in terms of development but the early-season defeats to Scunthorpe United and Lincoln City seem a long time ago...

Team: Ben Bottomley, Tom Henson, Max Jemson (Will Hollings), Michael Nesbitt, Lewis Cunningham, Josh Clemitson, Charlie Bell (Dan Wilds), Ethan Bojang (C), Corie Cole, Luca Nelson, Owan Derrett (Alex Wolny). Unused Subs: Luke Chadwick, Tavonga Kuleya.