Football
No reward for battling Bees

Buy photos » Studley keeper Sam Brady shows safe hands against the onrushing Danny Edmund. Photo 02.013.035.cov.jm3.

STUDLEY gave as good as they got but were beaten 1-0 at Coventry Sphinx in the Midland Alliance on Saturday.

Lee Knight's Bees battled hard to recover from Harry White's 14th minute opener but their efforts came to nothing.

Studley, whose Worcestershire Senior Urn quarter-final against Lye Town on Tuesday was postponed due to a frozen pitch, are scheduled to have the chance to hit back tomorrow when they host Dunkirk but as the Standard went to press the match had little or no chance of going ahead if the weather forecast proves correct.

Indeed, Tuesday's visit to Sutton Coldfield Town for their second round Birmingham Senior Cup tie also looks to be in severe jeopardy.

There was an exciting start to Saturday's contest as Sphinx's Liam McNally fired over the bar from a second minute free kick before Studley's impressive Danny Charlton struck a low shot which was superbly pushed around the post by home keeper Carl O'Neill for a corner that was cleared.

In the eighth minute White saw a shot deflected for a corner, from which Studley's Martin Crawford had to hook the ball off his own line, but the reprieve was shortlived.

Six minutes later - with Studley still adjusting to a defensive reshuffle which had seen captain Scott Turner limp off injured - White got to the edge of the area and created space for himself to fire home a left-footed strike which put the hosts ahead.

The response from Studley was impressive and Jason Ramsey saw a shot blocked by the feet of O'Neill before five minutes before the break Stephen Deeley thundered a strike against the bar from 12 yards.

Studley suffered the loss of Charlton at the break through injury and Sphinx looked the better team in the early stages of the second half as Matt Bannister wasted a good chance before White centred for Danny Edmund to convert, only for the offside flag to thwart him.

However, the best chance of the half fell to Studley's Rico Taylor who failed to cap a mesmerising run with the finish it deserved as he fired wide from close range.

A gritty defensive display from the hosts ensured further clearcut chances did not arrive and the Bees, now 16th, went home empty-handed.

ALVECHURCH saw Saturday's Alliance home fixture against Boldmere St Michaels and Tuesday's Birmingham Senior Cup quarter-final at Hednesford Town postponed. The cup trip to face the Pitmen has been rearranged for Tuesday, February 5 (7.45pm).

They are due to visit Coleshill Town tomorrow and Causeway United on Wednesday, but the weather prospects make this unlikely.

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