Spitfires Overturn 2-0 Deficit in FA Cup Classic

EASTLEIGH V GLOUCESTER CITY
SATURDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER 2006

FA CUP SPONSORED BY E.ON 2ND QUALIFYING ROUND



A typical FA Cup classic watched by over 400 at the Silverlake Stadium this afternoon saw a 2-0 deficit turned into a 3-2 win in what was a brilliant end to the tie.

Gloucester took the lead through a dubious first half penalty after twenty minutes and then doubled their lead mid-way through the second half. Eastleigh at this point looked dead and buried but amazingly fought back with three superb goals. Andy Forbes gave the Spitfires a glimmer of hope just two minutes after Paul Doswell’s side fell further behind. Incredibly Eastleigh pulled level just half a minute later when Jamie Brown netted his first for the club. The comeback was complete on 79 minutes when Forbes scored once more as Eastleigh finish on a high and cruise into the next round of the cup.

With the midweek departures of Paul Musselwhite and Matt Bound, Eastleigh welcomed two new signings, Bertie Brayley a forward from Margate that made his debut today, and Steve West a centre half from Leyton but he will have to wait until Friday’s match against Yeading to make his appearance for the club, due to being cup tied. Wayne Shaw also returned to the side after recovering from flu.

Eastleigh captain Danny Smith had a good effort come close in the opening stages when he drove an Andy Forbes lay off goalwards as the home side made a bright start and looked set to stamp down their authority on the match against their Southern Premier League opponents.

A lovely move starting right from the back resulted in a David Hughes effort failing to trouble Matt Bath in the Gloucester goal but the build up play was something to behold from Eastleigh. Wayne Shaw’s short throw to Ian Oliver was chipped down the line for Andy Forbes who chested the ball down exquisitely for new signing Bertie Brayley who promptly returned it to the fit again Forbes with a good one-two. The ball was played back in to Brayley who dummied it cleverly for Hughes but the strike in the end was wayward as the flowing move came to an end.

After what was a promising start to the tie, Eastleigh fell behind to a 20th minute penalty. Tom Webb fell down in a heap but was always looking for a foul and really there was nothing in it as the referee somewhat harshly gave the call in favour of the visitors. Gloucester’s JODY BEVAN stepped up from 12 yards and planted the ball in the top corner to Shaw’s right to give his side a 1-0 lead.

As a result of conceding, Paul Doswell made a couple of tactical changes including dropping Brayley back into the left of midfield with Jamie Brown pushing into a more advanced position and Ryan Ashford slotting in at centre midfield.

Gloucester’s first real chance other than the penalty was a free kick on 28 minutes following a clumsy challenge from Danny Smith right in front of goal. The ball was whipped through the wall and Shaw got down well to cut out the danger.

The Eastleigh skipper was the centre of attention once more as he went down in the penalty area at the other end this time. The referee saw nothing in it, although slightly after the incident Smith had to come off briefly for treatment to a wound.

As the half wore on Gloucester appeared to come more and more into the game. They could in fact have gone further ahead had they bundled the ball home from a dangerous left wing corner.

Eastleigh lost their cool more out of frustration than anything else as both Adam James and Francis Benali got themselves into the book. It was the Spitfire’s though that finished the first forty-five the better side. Firstly, an Ian Oliver misplaced cross had Matt Bath back-pedalling before tipping it over the bar. Shortly after, Ryan Ashford floated a free kick into the box from the half way line only to see it headed behind for a corner. From it, there was yet more controversy. Jamie Brown powered a header against the cross bar at the back post and it would seem that the ball had crossed the line from the Eastleigh appeals, however the referee was adamant that it hadn’t and the goal never stood.

Debutant Brayley continued to impress with yet another sublime touch to strike partner Andy Forbes as Eastleigh looked to create another chance right on half time.

HALF TIME – Eastleigh 0-1 Gloucester City

After finishing so strongly in the first half, Eastleigh came out determined to get back in the game. Just three minutes in, David Hughes flicked the ball back to Ryan Ashford on the right hand side at least 50 yards from goal, but this didn’t stop the former Saint who kept running at the City defence taking on each one that came at him. Ashford then got into the penalty area and hit it with his weaker right foot forcing a smart stop from the keeper Matt Bath.

Eastleigh continued to create opportunities to get back in the game, Brayley was unlucky as his cheeky flick at the near post from a corner almost found its way in. Before that Andy Forbes had a header deflected wide of goal.

However Gloucester had a golden opportunity to go 2-0 in front. A fine cross deep from the left picked out the completely unmarked Michael Whittington whose header flew inches wide of Shaw’s goal.

Back at the other end, the Spitfires continued to threaten. An excellent knock over the top from Jamie Brown found Andy Forbes in acres of space. With just one defender between him and the goal and Bertie Brayley screaming out for the ball free on the left hand side, Forbes continued his run cutting inside and in doing so lost out to a Gloucester centre half who came in with a challenge accidentally firing at his own goalkeeper!

The same man, Forbes, created an Eastleigh corner following good play down the right. The former Winchester striker delivered the ball in from the right touchline but with no Eastleigh player attacking the ball it was headed out for a corner. As the ball was swung in by Ryan Ashford it fell lose for Adam James who chested down before letting fly with a well executed powerful volley that appeared to strike the hand of a City player on the goal line, however the superb effort from eight yards came to nothing as no penalty was awarded and the ball was cleared to safety.

Eastleigh surprisingly fell further behind to an Aaron Wilson strike on 70 minutes, having played so well in the build up to this goal. It came from a free kick that was played to the back post for Jody Bevan who nodded it into WILSON who struck it with the outside of his right boot swerving it past Shaw into the corner to double the visitors’ advantage. At this point Eastleigh looked completely down and out – how wrong this proved to be!

Gloucester may nearly have capitalised on a dreadful, uncharacteristic Francis Benali blunder as he under-hit his back pass to Shaw allowing Whittington to poke the ball towards goal, producing an excellent stop from the Eastleigh keeper who rushed out well to make up for the error. Immediately after this, Eastleigh had scored. The ball was knocked long up the field where Bertie Brayley put in a superbly accurate cross from the left finding the clinical ANDY FORBES who drilled the ball low into the bottom corner with a crisp volley to give Eastleigh some hope that maybe they could get something from the match.

This proved to be exactly the case, as just 30 seconds later Eastleigh had levelled in a miraculous turnaround of events. Gloucester had barely restarted the game following Forbes’ goal when David Hughes nicked the ball with a wonderful interception before playing it through for JAMIE BROWN who burst into the area smashing the ball home with style to grab his first Eastleigh goal, and perhaps more importantly the equaliser that completed a remarkable comeback.

From here there was only going to be one winner. The home side were brimming with confidence, the crowd were right behind them in buoyant mood and the confidence of each Eastleigh player seemed to be bouncing off each other.

Bertie Brayley got out his box of tricks as he upped the tempo and excitement with his pacy runs down the left. He really does look he can fit in where others have failed and is a brilliant prospect. Having played his part in Eastleigh’s first goal Brayley was once again instrumental in what proved to be the winner. His header across the face of goal left ANDY FORBES the simplest of tasks to tap the ball over the line for his second and Eastleigh’s third.

Once Eastleigh were in front for the first time in the game, they could still have had even more goals as the tempo was so high and the pressure mounted on Gloucester who saw very little of the ball from here to the end of the game. Brayley could have had a goal for himself, which he thoroughly deserved, as his Darren Wheeler-like stepovers got him past the Gloucester full back opening up an opportunity to shoot. His effort, however, flew harmlessly wide of goal.

Eastleigh continued the onslaught with Adam James having an effort tipped over by Bath and a glancing header from Brown also coming close.

Just before the end of the game, substitute Martin Thomas was denied what would have been an absolute stunner as he let fly from a tight angle following a brilliant flick on from Brown in the build up.

The cup tie came to an end with David Hughes committing a stupid foul deep into injury time, and with the Gloucester keeper up the pitch Eastleigh cleared the free kick but couldn’t go any further as the final whistle came wrapping up what was a very gutsy second half display full of eleven confident Eastleigh players. This is exactly what will need to be taken into Friday nights match against Yeading where all thoughts will be directed back on the league. This is just the kick-start that the Spitfires were looking for, lets hope it leads to many more victories this season.

FULL TIME – Eastleigh 3-2 Gloucester City

JAMIE MONTIGUE