Eccleshall FC vs Coventry Sphinx

Eccleshall Football Club - Season 2022/23

Pershall Park, Chester Road, Eccleshall, Staffordshire ST21 6NE

Telephone 01785 851351 (match days only)

Legal Entity: Company limited by shares - Eccleshall Football Club Limited (c/n 13365015). Subsidiary of Eccleshall FC Sports Foundation Limited (c/n 13359263) - company limited by guarantee.

Club Officials:

Chairman: Neil Washington

Vice Chairman: Antony Johnson

Secretary: Jim Tunney

Treasurer: David Heelis

Programme Editor: Shaun Rogers

Clubhouse Management: Bill Grinham

Club Welfare Officer: Jim Tunney

Commercial Manager: Media Officer: Shaun Rogers

Directors

Neil Washington, Antony Johnson, Paul Cox, David Heelis, Bill Grinham, Richard Marsh, Jim Tunney.

Committee

John Martin, Colin Leese, Sid Kelly, Ernie Jackson, Diane Washington, Harvey Collins, Liz Leese, Andy Gough, Ben Gamble, Julie Clews, Barry Blenheim, Laura Sharratt, Tony Woolrich

Fundraising Sub-Committee

Neil Washington, Antony Johnson, John Martin, Jim Tunney, Colin Leese

First Team Management:

Liam Kelly, Nathan Wilkes, Russell Rowley, Harry Pickering, Laura Machin

Junior Section

Chairman: Andy Gough

Secretary: Gareth Davies

U10s Kieron Healey

U13s Dave Hislop, Gaz Davis

U14s John Edensor, Nick Mobley

U16s Paul Heler, Mark Croxton, Henry Taylor

Members of the North West Counties League, Midland Junior Premier League, North Staffs Junior Youth League, Mid Staffs Junior League.

Affiliated to Staffordshire FA

Eccleshall FC is an England Accredited Club

THE DUGOUT VIEW THE DUGOUT VIEW

Good afternoon and welcome to what is a massive game in the history of this football club. Our first appearance in the second round of The FA Vase for 30 years, with the chance to progress to the third round for the first time.

I’m incredibly proud of the players for getting to this point of the competition but we genuinely believe we can progress even further. We are under no illusions about how difficult this home tie will be. Coventry Sphinx are flying in the step above, second in their league. We have done our homework as well as a really good training session on Thursday, so we feel we are strongly prepared for the task ahead.

Since my last programme notes, we won our last home game in the league against Rocester with a convincing 3 0 win. We travelled to Maine Road last week and despite our dominance, we were made to pay for so many missed chances losing the game 1-0.

I have to give a huge congratulations to RyanJay Malbon who has won the October NWCFL Div 1 South Player of the Month award. An incredible achievement in only his first month at the club, I'm extremely proud of how well he has slotted into the group and made such an instant impact on the pitch.

Enjoy this afternoon's game and t support

1973-74

1975-76

1980-81

CoventrySphinx FC

The club was established in 1946 as a works team for Armstrong Siddeley under the name Armstrong Siddeley Motors Football Club.

In 1960 they were renamed Sphinx Football Club. The club were founder members of the Coventry Alliance and remained in the league until moving up to Division Two of the Midland Combination in 1993. They finished fourth in their first season in the league, earning promotion to Division One. The club went on to finish as runners-up in Division One in 1994–95, and were promoted to the Premier Division, at which point they adopted their current name

Coventry Sphinx were Premier Division runners-up in 1995–96 and again in 2001–02, a season which also saw them win the league's Challenge Cup.

They went on to finish as runners-up in consecutive seasons in 2004–05 (also winning the Challenge Cup again) and 2005–06 before winning the Premier Division title in 2006–07, earning promotion to the Midland Alliance

In 2009–10 the club won the Midland Alliance League Cup, beating Westfields 3–1 in the final.

When the league merged with the Midland Combination in 2014 to form the Midland League in 2014, the club became members of the Premier Division. At the end of the 2020–21 season Coventry Sphinx were transferred to the Premier Division South of the United Counties League

1-0 REPORTMATCH

Eccleshall travelled to Manchester hoping to improve on last season’s poor performance at Maine Road. Manager Liam Kelly reshuffled the pack due to the unavailability of Oli Hickman and Jordan Flattley and included new signing Kian Knott in the squad. The home side attacked from the start and Ryan Eiselt’s shot bounced in front of Eagles keeper Aaron Woolrich and went wide of the post. They continued to push forward in the first fifteen minutes and an inswinging corner by Jamie Roe was just over the bar. Gradually, Eccleshall began to get more into the game with Luke Lewis having a number of probing runs down the right. Maine Road’s Yousif Yousif was spoken to by referee Woodyatt but did not heed the warning and, on 30 minutes, was given a straight red card for a particularly poor tackle on Jordan Benton. This did not deter them and five minutes later they took the lead when a corner from the right was turned home by Francesco Frangillo who was lurking in the six-yard box. Home skipper Ben Mooney then had a shot just over the bar. As half time approached, Alex Rimmer fired just wide of the post past the diving Woolrich. In added time, an Eagles attack led to Lewis hitting the post with home keeper Peter Monteith beaten.

HT: Maine Road 1 Eccleshall 0

Words must have been said in the Eagles changing room as they showed their intent straight from the kick off as Ryanjay Malbon made a great run down the left, beating two players and cutting into the box before bringing a good diving save from Monteith. Moments later, Callum Feeney tested the home keeper again. Feeney had another effort collected by Monteith before a quick Maine Road attack led to Lewis Dunn deflecting a shot onto his own bar and clear. On 56 minutes, Eagles came close to an equaliser when Malbon chipped Monteith, but his shot hit the bar. Knott came on for Jack Flanaghan and was soon in the action as his run and cross was diverted for a corner which came to nothing. Kelly brought Lucas Green-Birch on for Benton as Eagles continued to look for the equaliser and a run and cross by Dunn led to Knott firing over. Woolrich then had to make a diving save to prevent Joshua Clegg from netting. Louis Downs came on for Lewis and on 87 minutes, Ryan Pickup had a golden chance to find the net but fired wide. It was to be Eccleshall’s last chance to rescue a point. Maine Road pressed again before the final whistle.

FT: Maine Road 1 Eccleshall 0

It was disappointing that Eagles were unable to capitalise on their one-man advantage, but credit must be given to Maine Road who continued to press forward at every opportunity rather than sitting back. Liam Kelly must now prepare for Tuesday’s away local derby at league newcomers Foley Meir hoping to get more points on the board before Eagles meet Coventry Sphinx in the second round of the Isuzu FA Vase at Pershall Park next Saturday.

Eagles: Woolrich, Flanaghan (Knott), Dunn, Pickup, Blaise, Groom, Malbon, Feeney, Glover, Benton (Green-Birch), Lewis (Downs).

Unused subs: Taylor, Darlington.

Referee: Mr Daniel Woodyatt

Attendance: 68

Aaron Woolrich Aiden Blaise Callum Feeney

Daniel Taylor

Alexander Atton Luke Lewis

Darlington Ryan AVAILABLE TO AVAILABLE TO SPONSOR SPONSOR AVAILABLE TO AVAILABLE TO SPONSOR SPONSOR AVAILABLE TO AVAILABLE TO SPONSOR SPONSOR

sponsored by Terry & Dorothy Steele sponsored by RICHARD MARSH

sponsored by Tony Woolrich & Andy Withey

Jordan Benton

SPONSORSHIP SPONSORSHIP

sponsored by Gough Landscapes. Mayflower Control. Cuttlestones

Ben Chesters

Louis Downs

Lucas Green-Birch

Mark Groom

George Woodroffe

Jack Flanaghan

Jordan Flattley Ryan Jay Malbon

Liam Kelly

Nathan Wilkes

Harry Pickering

Harvey Colins

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AARON WOOLRICH

ALEXANDER ATTON

EDEN JOHNSON

CALLUM FEENEY

LEWIS DUNN

MAX RAINE

ETHAN STANTON

MITCHELL GLOVER

AIDEN BLAISE

LUKE LEWIS

OLI HICKMAN

DANIEL TAYLOR

JOSEPH GRIFFITHS

JORDAN DARLINGTON

JORDAN BENTON

LUCAS GREEN BIRCH

GEORGE WOODROFFE

LOUIS DOWNS

MARK GROOM

CALLUM MIDDLETON

BENJAMIN CHESTERS

ASHLEY COLCLOUGH

JACK FLANAGHAN

JAMES SUTTON

JORDAN FLATTLEY

RYAN PICKUP

SCOTT MARTIN

JAMIE DRAPER

CALLUM MARTIN

JACK DOWNES

LOUIS GUEST

JAMES BRYSON

CALLUM WHITESIDE

LUKE DOWNES

MATTY SHIPMAN

CALLUM STEWART

DYLAN PARKER

CALLUM WOODWARD

MAX JOHNSON

LEO STONE

JORDAN HAYWARD

JACK KENNEDY

1971

Samuel Rowley

Richard Butler

Andrew Martin