EFC 2-1 Maidenhead - Match Report

EASTLEIGH V MAIDENHEAD
18th FEBRUARY 2006
 
CONFERENCE SOUTH

After a somewhat dull first half, Eastleigh livened up in the second half and pulled off another good victory with two good goals coming from Neville Roach and Stuart Douglas. Maidenhead got a consolation late on, but Eastleigh thoroughly deserved the points.

The visitors started the game the brighter with a few good chances going their way. Firstly, a good one-two from the Maidenhead strikers forced Rob Marshall to step in and clear the danger.

Only two minutes later, Maidenhead were on the attack once more. Ryan Ashe had a free volley but he fired over from only twelve yards.

Eastleigh’s best chance of the half came in the tenth minute. Midfield playmaker, David Hughes threaded a great ball down the line for Andy Forbes. Forbes turned his man and left him for dead, creating a chance out of nothing, he struck the ball low and forced a good save from ex-Eastleigh keeper Scott Tarr.

Ryan Ashford had a half-chance, when he latched onto a pass from Chris Collins who made a great interception. Ashford pulled the trigger but the ball went wide of Tarr’s goal.

Since returning from Oxford, Neville Roach has been in fine form. His performance today was no different and he had a lot of good touches early on. In the 17th minute Roach made a good run down the left before putting in a teasing cross which only needed a touch but the ball evaded two Eastleigh players at the back post and the chance was gone.

Towards the end of the half it was Maidenhead playing the better football. They were gifted with a glorious opportunity to take the lead when a misplaced kick went straight to the Maidenhead centre forward but the defence got back well to block and save Shaw’s blushes.

HALF TIME – Eastleigh 0-0 Maidenhead

Two minutes after the interval, Eastleigh had a good chance to take the lead. Steve Forbes won a free kick for his team in a good position and from it Ashford curled around the wall, just missing the goal by a matter of inches.

Paul Doswell had to change things around when both Steve and Andy Forbes were withdrawn because of injuries. Dave Town and Stuart Douglas replaced them and they both played a key role in the win.

The deadlock was broken in the 61st minute as Eastleigh took the lead through Neville Roach. Neville started the move himself out on the right wing playing a good ball down the line for Town. Dave Town used his trickery to take the ball past his marker and put in a deadly ball, which Danny Smith got on the end of and laid it off first time for Roach who had plenty of time to pick out the bottom right hand corner. A great team goal, 1-0.

Eastleigh were now in control and were beginning to dictate the play. Dave Town had a good chance to double the Spitfire’s lead when he latched on to a through ball from Danny Smith but his shot was straight at Tarr.

In the 70th minute, Roach played Stuart Douglas through on goal. Douglas only had Tarr to beat but the keeper narrowed the angle and forced Douglas to turn back out and cross the ball winning a corner.

Douglas made no mistake when he was given his next chance. David Hughes played a splendid ball over the top of the Maidenhead defence with a quickly taken free kick and Douglas did brilliantly to time his run to perfection finishing off the move with a beautiful lobbed finish. 2-0.

Maidenhead got a late consolation when Matt Glynn fired into Wayne Shaw’s top corner with a fine strike to put the pressure on the home side for the last few minutes but the Doswell’s men saw it through and thoroughly deserved the three points purely for their second half performance.

Another good win, another three points!

FULL TIME – Eastleigh 2-1 Maidenhead

JAMIE MONTIGUE

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