Dorchester 1-0 Eastleigh

Report by Ray Murphy

Eastleigh suffered a second defeat in four days in a match that they really should have taken something from. It was an improved performance from the game against Welling, but lack of prowess in the final third cost Eastleigh dear. There were several changes to the Eastleigh line up from their previous fixture. There were first starts of the season in the Conference for strikers Andy Forbes and Jefferson Louis and also a starting debut for Liam Green, whilst there was a return for defender Robbie Marshall and the ever useful Martin Thomas this time having to fill in at full back. On the missing list were the injured Darren Wheeler and Jason Dodd. The home side also had injury worries of their own missing both Mark Robinson and Terry Parker.

The game was barely three minutes old when the home side scored what proved to be the only goal of the game. enough to send Dorchester to fourth spot in the table. Justin Keelers inswinging right flank corner was only cleared to the edge of the box by Matt Bound where full back Ryan Hill, with two goals to his credit already this season, shot goalwards through a crowded penalty area. Home striker Matt Groves sneaked the faintest of touches that Eastleigh goalkeeper Paul Musselwhite could only parry beyond the Eastleigh defender on the post and into the net.

The game itself never really blossomed into a footballing frenzy a game littered with several free kicks on both sides. Eastleigh were playing the better football but despite all their possession and fluency they created very few clear-cut chances. Groves was unlucky not to have connect with a cross from Michael Taylor after twelve minutes when well placed and saving Eastleigh a mountain to climb.

David Hughes was having a night in the wars. Following a bone shuddering challenge with Guy Lopez midway through the first half, Hughes stumbled away from the challenge almost certainly with a broken nose and seemed to take a few seconds before going down and having medical assistance, leaving the pitch for a short period also before returning. Green’s twenty fifth minute free kick was headed wide by Marshall and another dead ball kick whisp across the face of goal but nobody on hand to add any touch. There were also tame efforts at Dorchester keeper Richard Martin from both Andy Forbes and Danny Smith.

Dorchester lost playmaker Keeler through injury as the first half was drawing to the last ten minutes but the home side always managed to get at least two defenders against any Eastleigh attacker whilst both Bound and Marshall were giving the home strikers of Groves and Jamie Brown little time and space meaning that Musselwhite had little to deal with. Ion the closing minutes of the half though the tireless Brown shot through Bounds legs but only into Musselwhites arms then a dipping cross from Groves was tipped over the bar by Musselwhite.

Eastleigh created chances in the opening minutes of the second period. A great saving block by Dorchester defender Scott Morgan denied Andy Forbes a minute after the break, shortly after Andy Forbes again the attacker his effort being denied by a sprawling Martin save.

Brown got the better of Marshall at the other end of the park but his shot from distance went over the bar, then Danny Smith teed up Andy Forbes but again Martin saved his low shot. On the hour with appeals for an Eastleigh penalty being waved away Louis fired high and wide when well placed. It was becoming apparent though that the Eastleigh Forbes and Louis strikeforce were tiring owing to their lack of match fitness.

With little sign of breaking through the Dorchester rearguard, manager Paul Doswell made three changes in a two-minute spell with twenty minutes remaining. Andy Forbes and Louis both stayed on the park in the hope that their eye for goal would win through. In honesty with the changes Eastleigh fared little better than before the changes and it was Dorchester who created the second best chance of the game on severity six minutes, Musselwhite just managing to tip away an effort from Brown.

With time starting to run out Steve Forbes and Dave Town got in each others way seven yards out from goal and turned a chance wide, then a diagonal pass from Ryan Ashford was collected by Andy Forbes but home defender Morgan harried the striker into a rushed attempt that went high.

A good start to the season for new Dorchester manager Mick Jenkins with three wins from their first four games, whilst it looks as though it is going to take a little time for the Spitfires to move fully into gear.