Share of the spoils at Stortford
9th December 2006 - Bishops Stortford 1-1 Eastleigh
Report by Ray Murphy
For new manager Jason Dodd, it was a tough baptism to have to travel to third placed Bishop’s Stortford for his first Nationwide South league fixture. His first selection included midweek signings, striker Carl Wilson-Denis from Havant and Waterlooville and defender Karim El-Salahi on loan from Woking. Both players had highly encouraging debuts.
It was a worrying opening quarter of an hour for the manager also. Time and time again Stortford cut through the Eastleigh defence especially on the left flank where home winger Ashley Fuller was giving Tarkan Mustafa a torrid afternoon. With only three minutes played, Fuller looking suspiciously offside raced away on to a crossfield pass from Dave Collis but with time on his side only managed to fire wide of the target. Two minutes later an identical ball was cut out by Mustafa but the ball rolled to Jack Midson who set Fuller up with another chance but again the winger fired wide.
With twelve minutes played Fuller raided down the left sent over a cross that eluded El-Salahi but Stortford's leading scorer Jack Midson could only fire his shot over the bar. Three minutes later another chance fell for Fuller but again he lofted his effort over the bar. Eastleigh’s only brief flurry in the Stortford half of the field saw a weak effort from the edge of the box from Martin Thomas fielded by home goalkeeper Andy Young.
A low cross from Danny Morgan on nineteen minutes saw Midson just fail to get a touch as Eastleigh started to impose themselves more on the game. Andy Forbes’s cross was headed back by Danny Smith and Wilson-Denis shot wide in the twenty first minute but a minute later Eastleigh were celebrating taking the lead. Darren Wheeler picked up the ball just inside the Stortford half and left for dead two Stortford defenders with his pace before sending an inch perfect cross into the centre of the six-yard area where Wilson-Denis gently nodded down his first goal in an Eastleigh shirt.
Stortford’s response saw Collis cross from the right, Knocked back across goal by Fuller for Morgan but his clever shot brought a fine save from Jamie Pullen. The Eastleigh lead though did only last four minutes. With twenty-six minutes played after Danny Smith was alleged to have committed a foul on the edge of the box, Collis’ flighted free kick was met by the head of giant central defender Rob Gillman and the home side were level.
Two minutes after the goal another Collis free kick went just wide of the target but the final couple of chances of the opening half both fell the way of Eastleigh. A Wheeler corner was headed back by Steve West and Smith's shot was pushed away by Young. Another Eastleigh effort saw David Hughes' free kick this time knocked back by El-Salahi, for West to control and set up Thomas but his effort was also saved by Young.
The second half started with both defences on top for the opening quarter. Smith's ball into Forbes saw the striker turn and shoot but Young saved his effort. Smith had a strike himself from the edge of the box but that was also wide of the target.
As the game wore on both sides began to find space and create openings producing an exciting last period top the match. On the hour Ryan Lockett took time to get the ball under control before firing wide but Eastleigh were creating more of the openings. With seventy four minutes played West’s guided header from a free kick was only just over the bar then five minutes later the lively Ben Bosley was created a chance by the hard working Wilson-Denis but the young strikers shot produced an excellent stop from Young and the follow up by Thomas was also stopped by the keeper.
The final minutes of action before the final ninety saw anxious moments for the Eastleigh side and followers. Stortford skipper Gareth Gwillim broke through the Eastleigh defence and his shot brought another excellent stop from Pullen, Pullen was also back composed to thwart substitute Richard Howell. In the ninetieth minute Gwillims free kick from the edge of the box was bundled over the line by Paul Goodacre but referee Mr Paul McCaul disallowed the effort for a foul on Pullen, as Eastleigh stuttered through six minutes of stoppage time to preserve a valuable point.
Report by Ray Murphy
For new manager Jason Dodd, it was a tough baptism to have to travel to third placed Bishop’s Stortford for his first Nationwide South league fixture. His first selection included midweek signings, striker Carl Wilson-Denis from Havant and Waterlooville and defender Karim El-Salahi on loan from Woking. Both players had highly encouraging debuts.
It was a worrying opening quarter of an hour for the manager also. Time and time again Stortford cut through the Eastleigh defence especially on the left flank where home winger Ashley Fuller was giving Tarkan Mustafa a torrid afternoon. With only three minutes played, Fuller looking suspiciously offside raced away on to a crossfield pass from Dave Collis but with time on his side only managed to fire wide of the target. Two minutes later an identical ball was cut out by Mustafa but the ball rolled to Jack Midson who set Fuller up with another chance but again the winger fired wide.
With twelve minutes played Fuller raided down the left sent over a cross that eluded El-Salahi but Stortford's leading scorer Jack Midson could only fire his shot over the bar. Three minutes later another chance fell for Fuller but again he lofted his effort over the bar. Eastleigh’s only brief flurry in the Stortford half of the field saw a weak effort from the edge of the box from Martin Thomas fielded by home goalkeeper Andy Young.
A low cross from Danny Morgan on nineteen minutes saw Midson just fail to get a touch as Eastleigh started to impose themselves more on the game. Andy Forbes’s cross was headed back by Danny Smith and Wilson-Denis shot wide in the twenty first minute but a minute later Eastleigh were celebrating taking the lead. Darren Wheeler picked up the ball just inside the Stortford half and left for dead two Stortford defenders with his pace before sending an inch perfect cross into the centre of the six-yard area where Wilson-Denis gently nodded down his first goal in an Eastleigh shirt.
Stortford’s response saw Collis cross from the right, Knocked back across goal by Fuller for Morgan but his clever shot brought a fine save from Jamie Pullen. The Eastleigh lead though did only last four minutes. With twenty-six minutes played after Danny Smith was alleged to have committed a foul on the edge of the box, Collis’ flighted free kick was met by the head of giant central defender Rob Gillman and the home side were level.
Two minutes after the goal another Collis free kick went just wide of the target but the final couple of chances of the opening half both fell the way of Eastleigh. A Wheeler corner was headed back by Steve West and Smith's shot was pushed away by Young. Another Eastleigh effort saw David Hughes' free kick this time knocked back by El-Salahi, for West to control and set up Thomas but his effort was also saved by Young.
The second half started with both defences on top for the opening quarter. Smith's ball into Forbes saw the striker turn and shoot but Young saved his effort. Smith had a strike himself from the edge of the box but that was also wide of the target.
As the game wore on both sides began to find space and create openings producing an exciting last period top the match. On the hour Ryan Lockett took time to get the ball under control before firing wide but Eastleigh were creating more of the openings. With seventy four minutes played West’s guided header from a free kick was only just over the bar then five minutes later the lively Ben Bosley was created a chance by the hard working Wilson-Denis but the young strikers shot produced an excellent stop from Young and the follow up by Thomas was also stopped by the keeper.
The final minutes of action before the final ninety saw anxious moments for the Eastleigh side and followers. Stortford skipper Gareth Gwillim broke through the Eastleigh defence and his shot brought another excellent stop from Pullen, Pullen was also back composed to thwart substitute Richard Howell. In the ninetieth minute Gwillims free kick from the edge of the box was bundled over the line by Paul Goodacre but referee Mr Paul McCaul disallowed the effort for a foul on Pullen, as Eastleigh stuttered through six minutes of stoppage time to preserve a valuable point.
Comments
Post a Comment