Late penalty denies Earls away victory at Coventry

Midland League Division Two

Coventry Alvis 2 Earlswood Town 2

A threadbare Earlswood Town conceded a last-gasp penalty to deny them the victory which would have left them joint league leaders.

Goals from Daniel Elwell and Connor Doyle had left the Earls 2-1 ahead before a late challenge in the box forced the referee to award a penalty.

Though keeper Ethan Pheasey initially saved Jack Aujla’s spot-kick the Coventry Alvis player managed to convert the rebound for an equaliser at the Alvis Sports and Social Club.

The result left Joel Hughes’ Earls slipping to fifth in the Division Two table, but just two points behind leaders Knowle who will visit the Yakinori Pavilions on Saturday (3pm kick-off).

It took less than 60 seconds for the Sky Blues to find the back of the net last weekend, the exact response they were looking for after their disappointing 4-3 loss to Alcester Town last weekend.

An in-swinging ball whipped in from the right by Dave Freeman found Elliot Edwards waiting at the back post and the latter had the easy task to head home from less than six yards out.

The Earls quickly responded with a goal of their own from the spot, after a handball in the box. Forward Elwell stepped up and found the bottom right corner from the penalty spot for his sixth goal of the season.

Coventry attempted to respond to the Earls’ equaliser, but Pheasey between the sticks had other ideas. Edwards’ left-footed shot inside the box was palmed onto the bar by the outstretched shot-stopper, keeping the scores level heading into the break,

This wouldn’t be the end of Pheasey’s heroics, with Freeman forcing the youngster into another acrobatic save to push the ball onto the crossbar yet again.

It proved crucial as the Earls then went ahead on the 75th minute mark, thanks to some great link-up play from the two wingers. Archie Spittle-McGuire’s well-crafted cross found Doyle patiently waiting in acres of space at the back post, and his right-footed strike nestling into the back of the net via the post.

All three points looked to be signed and sealed for the side in red and white stripes, but Aujla tapped home to save a point in what was an eventful affair.

Earlswood: Pheasey, Price (Lamb), Benjamin, Hughes, Hyland, Palmer, Doyle, Taylor, Elwell, Kinsey, Spittle-McGuire.