After four straight wins City went down 3-2 on a heavy pitch at Coventry Sphinx conceding at three set pieces which were to cost City dear.
City found it extremely hard to produce the same high levels of football which had produced a hatful of goals recently although they did produce a few chances, the first with Liam Lockett who had an effort ruled out early on for off-side.
On the 15th minute, City took the lead when Sean Brain was put through 15 yards in Sphinx's half by Chris Withington, he outpaced the defence before beating the keeper and cutting back to make it 0-1.
City then conceded three before the half time break. The first came after Liam Lockett gave away a free kick on the left on 25 minutes. The resulting kick was headed against the bar by Hammond but the ball bounced off the back of City keeper Gabriel Bajrami to make it 1-1.
The second came in a similar fashion, with Craig Jones conceding on the left on 31 minutes, the resulting kick was headed home at the front post by Charlie Faulkner who beat the City defence to the ball.
On the stroke of half-time, the home side made it 3-1, this time from a corner when Faulkner was the first to react as the ball fell loose in the six yards box.
City had the best of the second half chances with Sam Hall & Jordan Harrison both heading over from the six yard line before Marco Adaggio pulled one back on 58 minutes.
Sphinx nearly added a fourth on 85 minutes from another corner but the ball thundered off the post from Kurtis Mewies.
City had one late chance deep into added time when a stretching Jordan Harrison was unable to divert the ball goal bound from a Mewies cross & the game ended 3-2.