Eastleigh 4-1 Fleet Town - Russell Cotes Cup
RUSSELL COTES CUP – QUARTER FINAL
EASTLEIGH V FLEET TOWN – 8/2/2006
Eastleigh hit Fleet for four with good performances coming from Ryan Ashford who was captain for the day in Danny Smith’s absence and Neville Roach who on his return from his spell at football league side Oxford scored two good goals.
In the second minute of the game, Eastleigh won an early corner. From it, make shift centre back Andy Forbes rose highest but headed wide.
The visitors took the lead only nine minutes in. Stuart Douglas lost possession of the ball and Fleet went from defence to attack in a matter of seconds in a quick break away. Damian Panter raced onto a through ball and poked past Alan Walker-Harris to give the Ryman League side an unlikely lead.
Three minutes later, Nick Stavroulakis won a free kick on the edge of the area. Ryan Ashford stepped up and fired in another trademark strike with a shot that had a mixture of good power, accuracy and swerve. 1-1.
A Craig Martin cross from the right found Douglas in the middle but the Eastleigh striker was off balance and the ball rolled to the safety of the keeper’s hands.
Another good chance for the hosts came in the 26th minute. An Ashford free kick was whipped into the box and the Fleet keeper came off his line, didn’t make the ball and took a stumble in the process. With the keeper out of goal, the ball found it’s way to Martin Thomas who was lurking around the eighteen-yard box but his volley was wayward.
The lively Neville Roach nearly created an Eastleigh second goal on the half hour. Roach cut inside of the defender and put in a good ball into the box that proved to cause both the keeper and a Fleet defender difficulty in dealing with.
Stuart Douglas gave Eastleigh the lead with a powerful strike as he connected with a left wing corner. He was the quickest to react, and his effort blazed into the roof of the net leaving the Fleet keeper with no chance.
Just before half time the visitors picked up the pace somewhat and nearly found an equaliser. Martin Girling’s electric pace split open the Eastleigh defence, which created a good chance, but Walker-Harris was on hand at his near post to keep out a low drive.
HALF TIME – Eastleigh 2-1 Fleet Town
Fleet counter attacked an early Eastleigh corner and tried to catch out their opponents on the break, however Ian Oliver made a fine last-ditch tackle to prevent Fleet’s attack from developing further.
Following good skill from Neville Roach, Eastleigh won a corner. Andy Forbes for the second time in the game was in a great position to punish Fleet but his powerful header flew narrowly over.
In the 56th minute, Eastleigh came close to scoring once more. This time it was Stavroulakis got his head to an Ashford cross and was denied by a smart stop from Paul Smith in the Fleet goal.
At this point of the game, it was pretty much end-to-end football. Fleet hit Eastleigh on the break but despite the striker having time and space to shoot, the shot went comfortably wide.
Back down at the other end of the pitch, Eastleigh were pushing for a third goal. It was a lovely team move involving Roach, Ashford and Douglas. Roach chipped the ball out wide for Ashford who passed the ball first time to Douglas and his effort just went wide of the goal.
In the 64th minute, Neville Roach increased Eastleigh’s lead with a simple tap in from Ryan Ashford left wing cross. 3-1. Not a bad way to start on his return to the Sparshatts Stadium!
Only ten or so minutes later, substitute David Hughes played a brilliant pass to Roach who doubled his tally for the game and put the game beyond doubt scoring Eastleigh’s fourth of the night. From a tight angle Neville picked his spot and placed the ball in the bottom right hand corner of the goal.
Towards the end, Fleet had a good spell of pressure, and probably their best move of the game saw an acrobatic volley comfortably saved by Walker-Harris in the Eastleigh goal.
A comfortable victory for the holders, who will now play Lymington Town away in the semi-final. This was a good way to put the Yeading game well and truly behind them.
FULL TIME – Eastleigh 4-1 Fleet Town
JAMIE MONTIGUE
EASTLEIGH V FLEET TOWN – 8/2/2006
Eastleigh hit Fleet for four with good performances coming from Ryan Ashford who was captain for the day in Danny Smith’s absence and Neville Roach who on his return from his spell at football league side Oxford scored two good goals.
In the second minute of the game, Eastleigh won an early corner. From it, make shift centre back Andy Forbes rose highest but headed wide.
The visitors took the lead only nine minutes in. Stuart Douglas lost possession of the ball and Fleet went from defence to attack in a matter of seconds in a quick break away. Damian Panter raced onto a through ball and poked past Alan Walker-Harris to give the Ryman League side an unlikely lead.
Three minutes later, Nick Stavroulakis won a free kick on the edge of the area. Ryan Ashford stepped up and fired in another trademark strike with a shot that had a mixture of good power, accuracy and swerve. 1-1.
A Craig Martin cross from the right found Douglas in the middle but the Eastleigh striker was off balance and the ball rolled to the safety of the keeper’s hands.
Another good chance for the hosts came in the 26th minute. An Ashford free kick was whipped into the box and the Fleet keeper came off his line, didn’t make the ball and took a stumble in the process. With the keeper out of goal, the ball found it’s way to Martin Thomas who was lurking around the eighteen-yard box but his volley was wayward.
The lively Neville Roach nearly created an Eastleigh second goal on the half hour. Roach cut inside of the defender and put in a good ball into the box that proved to cause both the keeper and a Fleet defender difficulty in dealing with.
Stuart Douglas gave Eastleigh the lead with a powerful strike as he connected with a left wing corner. He was the quickest to react, and his effort blazed into the roof of the net leaving the Fleet keeper with no chance.
Just before half time the visitors picked up the pace somewhat and nearly found an equaliser. Martin Girling’s electric pace split open the Eastleigh defence, which created a good chance, but Walker-Harris was on hand at his near post to keep out a low drive.
HALF TIME – Eastleigh 2-1 Fleet Town
Fleet counter attacked an early Eastleigh corner and tried to catch out their opponents on the break, however Ian Oliver made a fine last-ditch tackle to prevent Fleet’s attack from developing further.
Following good skill from Neville Roach, Eastleigh won a corner. Andy Forbes for the second time in the game was in a great position to punish Fleet but his powerful header flew narrowly over.
In the 56th minute, Eastleigh came close to scoring once more. This time it was Stavroulakis got his head to an Ashford cross and was denied by a smart stop from Paul Smith in the Fleet goal.
At this point of the game, it was pretty much end-to-end football. Fleet hit Eastleigh on the break but despite the striker having time and space to shoot, the shot went comfortably wide.
Back down at the other end of the pitch, Eastleigh were pushing for a third goal. It was a lovely team move involving Roach, Ashford and Douglas. Roach chipped the ball out wide for Ashford who passed the ball first time to Douglas and his effort just went wide of the goal.
In the 64th minute, Neville Roach increased Eastleigh’s lead with a simple tap in from Ryan Ashford left wing cross. 3-1. Not a bad way to start on his return to the Sparshatts Stadium!
Only ten or so minutes later, substitute David Hughes played a brilliant pass to Roach who doubled his tally for the game and put the game beyond doubt scoring Eastleigh’s fourth of the night. From a tight angle Neville picked his spot and placed the ball in the bottom right hand corner of the goal.
Towards the end, Fleet had a good spell of pressure, and probably their best move of the game saw an acrobatic volley comfortably saved by Walker-Harris in the Eastleigh goal.
A comfortable victory for the holders, who will now play Lymington Town away in the semi-final. This was a good way to put the Yeading game well and truly behind them.
FULL TIME – Eastleigh 4-1 Fleet Town
JAMIE MONTIGUE
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