The Opposition - Key Facts
Full name: Coventry Sphinx Football Club
Nickname: The Sphinx
Founded: 1946
Ground: Cameron Slater Arena
Capacity: 1,000
Chairman: Joey Fletcher
Manager: John Woodward (originally Joint Manager, solo since start of 24/25 season)
Last season: 17th/21 (NPL Midlands)
Journey distance: 58 miles

The Opposition - History
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.

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. They were Premier Division South champions in 2022–23, earning promotion to Division One Midlands of the Northern Premier League.

(Source - Wikipedia)

The Opposition - This Season
The Sphinx started the season in superb form, unbeaten in their first seven matches in all competitions.
Losing successive matches in the FA Cup then Trophy did nothing to harm their league form as they bounced back with two more wins but then came their first bad spell of the season with three defeats in a row.
After steadying the ship with a draw at RC Warwick and home victory over Boldmere St. Michaels, they went two without a win before defeating Basford United.
This victory on 1st November remains their last, with three defeats and a draw since seeing them fall to 16th, although they do have games in hand on most of the division.

League (16th/22): P 19 W 7 D 5 L 7 F 28 A 26 Pts. 26
Cups: P 4 W 2 D 0 L 2 F 5 A 3 (Lost in 1Q of FA Cup and 1Q of FA Trophy)

Top goalscorers: Data not available
Biggest victory: 3-0 vs. Dudley Town (16th August)
Heaviest defeat: 0-3 vs. Rugby Town (18th October)
Highest home attendance: 201 vs. Bedworth United (25th August)
Average home attendance: 127 (22nd/22)
Most consecutive wins: 4
Most games without a win: 4
Most consecutive defeats: 3
Most games without a defeat: 7

The Nailers
Belper started the season with back to back wins before coming unstuck in a home FA Cup tie against Kidsgrove Athletic.
After this came a six match unbeaten run, ended with another cup defeat, this time an FA Trophy reversal at Rugby Town.
Once again Lee Attenborough got the response he wanted, with back to back NPL wins being secured.
After this however they lost two on the spin before flipping their form back on its head again to defeat Anstey Nomads and AFC Rushden & Diamonds.
A draw at Racing Club Warwick followed before two late Corby Town goals consigned us to defeat on the road.
That was the last time Belper tasted defeat, with a draw and three recent wins and clean sheets following it.
A Jacob Gratton penalty and thunderbolt finish from James Tague secured the points at Bourne Town.
After that the Nailers progressed to the quarter-finals of the Derbyshire Senior Cup with 4-2 home win over Belper United while the following weekend it was Tague on the scoresheet again as we shared the points at Bedworth United.
The midweek game at home to Shepshed Dynamo saw a second successive 1-1 draw.
Four players can still lay claim to have appeared in every match so far.
Goals wise, Kevin Bastos leads the way with seven while Jacob Gratton and Liam Moran are one behind on six. Jacob Fenton has five. Defenders Jack Broadhead and Ben Rhodes sit on four goals along with James Tague. Jonathan Wafula has netted three times. A further four players have one goal each.

Head to Head
The sides have met only once, the encounter at the Cameron Slater Arena at the end of September this season.
Jacob Fenton put the Nailers in front before a Daniele Reka equaliser.
Ioan Evans restored Belper's lead on the stroke of half time and there were no further goals in the second half although both teams received a red card.

Overall record for Belper:
P 1 W 1 D 0 L 0 F 2 A 1
(NPL Step 4)

Form Guide (all competitive matches)
Belper Town: WWWWDD
Coventry Sphinx: DWLLDL

Team News
Full team news will be announced at 2:15pm.

Permutations
The Nailers are now eight points behind Carlton Town and level on games so even the best case scenario sees us a few weeks away from being able to go top.
3rd placed Anstey Nomads are in FA Trophy action at Hartlepool United today and the only other team that can catch Belper are Basford United. They require a win of their own combined with a defeat for us and an 11 goal swing.

Match details
Belper Town vs. Coventry Sphinx
Pitching In Northern Premier League Midlands Division

Saturday, 13th December 2025 - 3:00pm kick off

Raygar Stadium
Bridge Street
Belper
Derbyshire
DE56 1BA

Admission prices: Adults £11, Concessions £7, U11 (with accompanying adult) £0

Follow the match
Full coverage of the match:

• Audio commentary with Tom on Radio Belper Town
• Full text coverage on X and Facebook.
• Match reports on the website (all matches) and in the Non-League Paper (Saturday matches only)

NPL Midlands fixtures
(14th) AFC Rushden & Diamonds vs. Carlton Town (1st)
(2nd) Belper Town vs. Coventry Sphinx (16th)
(21st) Boldmere St. Michaels vs. Bedworth United (22nd)
(6th) Lichfield City vs. Corby Town (5th)
(8th) Mickleover FC vs. Wellingborough Town (15th)
(7th) Racing Club Warwick vs. Bourne Town (20th)
(9th) Rugby Borough vs. Sutton Coldfield Town (17th)
(13th) Shepshed Dynamo vs. Coleshill Town (11th) (1pm kick off)
(19th) St. Neots Town vs. Basford United (4th)