Hammers help Cov tool up

Coventry Sphinx will be primed and fully prepared for their FA Carlsberg Vase Fifth Round tie at Stanway Rovers thanks to the help of West Ham.

The Hammers, who used Sphinx's Siddeley Avenue pitch to train on before their Carling Cup clash with Coventry City last October, have repaid the favour by allowing Paul Charnley's side to use their training base on Saturday morning.

Sphinx travelled south on Friday for an overnight stay before kicking off their match day build-up at United's Chadwell Heath training set-up.

Charnley added: "To have the use of a Premiership training ground ahead of the tie is a great boost. It's a smashing gesture and we can't thank Alan Curbishley and West Ham enough for their support."

Sphinx have left few stones unturned for the trip to The Hawthorns with Charnley more than satisfied his team are in peak condition and ready to sweat blood for the cause.

Charnley said: "There's been a great buzz around the place this week. Training has gone well and I just hope the lads get their best game together. To be in Monday's Quarter Final draw would be a tremendous feat."

The Sphinx chief has most of the squad at his disposal with the only absentee being Jerome Murdock, who serves the last of a three-match suspension, while last weekend's goal hero Tom Bates is looking to add to his tally in the club's most crucial game of the season.

"Tom took his goal well in the 1-0 win over high-flying Causeway United," added the boss.

"That was an important victory for us and one that has hopefully put us right for Stanway."

He added: "As the last Midlands side left in The Vase there is a great deal of interest in us at the moment which is great for the club and for Coventry sport as a whole.

"We've prepared thoroughly and the players are excited with the prospect of progressing further and I'm quietly confident we can get a positive result."