Abandoned game - but why was it even started?
Eastleigh v Braintree
Match Report by Jamie Montigue
With the pitch in an awful state from a heavy downpour , it was a wonder how the game even began, but once that decision was made surely it had to be seen through until the end.
Just when both sides had got used to the conditions, with Andy Forbes scoring two minutes into the second half with an excellent finish and Braintree hitting back with an instant reply from former Spitfire, Bertie Brayley.
Incredibly the referee, with sixty-four minutes played, the pitch in slightly better condition if anything with the work done with the fork at half time, brought both managers together and shocked all present by bringing the game to a premature end. Understandably several if not all players were livid at the decision having made a real go of it despite not being the best of circumstances.
5 mins - Oliver slipped on poor surface with Rob Martin capitalising putting in a good ball for Bertie Brayley whose shot was blocked superbly by El-Salahi who was then fouled by the former Spitfire for his troubles.
12 mins - The game continued to be predictably scrappy with the pitch cutting up. Eastleigh had a chance from a David Hughes free kick but no one attacked what was an excellent delivery to the far post.
15 mins - Jamie Brown played an excellent ball through to Andy Forbes who pulled it back for Liam George. The former Luton Town forward took to long to get a shot in and when he did it was deflected behind for a corner kick.
16 mins - Continued pressure from the home side with no less than four straight corners, Chris Collins tried to hook the ball towards goal but the captain Bradley Quinton got himself between the player and the goal and eventually scrambled it away to start a counter attack for Braintree.
21 mins - Braintree were presented with a golden opportunity to take the lead. With the pitch at fault yet again, James Pullen's attempted throw to the wing fell way short of its destination stopping dead in the mud for Bertie Brayley to help himself to a free run at the Eastleigh goal. With no defender in sight, Brayley pulled the trigger but Pullen redeemed himself with a smart save to turn the ball behind with his legs.
24 mins - A deep free kick from the visitors saw Pullen come a long way off his line, but fail to collect. When the corner came in from the right, Brayley hit a shot from the edge of the area from which Pullen smothered the wet ball under pressure.
28 mins - Eastleigh right back Tarkan Mustafa ran a good half length across the pitch with excellent commitment to cut out a prospering attack from Braintree's Louis Riddle. When the ball came back in play Riddle tried to get one other his opponent with a late challenge leaving his foot in there catching Mustafa badly.
31 mins - Amid all the gloom with the weather, a certain Jason Dodd livened things up much to the amusement of all present. Kicking a new ball on to the pitch, the Eastleigh manager slipped in a puddle losing his footing and was covered head to toe in mud! Will he ever live that one down? (Sorry Jason, it had to be mentioned!)
35 mins - The dedication from Eastleigh was fantastic, with Andy Forbes closing down on one side of the pitch to win possession, and then shortly after Jamie Brown showed more of the same down the right. With the pitch in the state it was, it would have been so much easier to let these type of challenges go by - great effort.
Down the other end Brayley was still lively creating an opening for Riddle with a lovely turn. Louis Riddle's chipped effort watched over the bar by James Pullen.
38 mins - The game continued at a frantic pace. Iron's keeper Nick Morgan, let the elements get the better of him with a poor kick straight to Danny Smith who nodded the ball on first time into the path of Andy Forbes. Forbes held the ball up with a neat delay before sidestepping his marker and drilling the ball low towards goal. To Morgan's credit, his handling was excellent to keep the effort out.
42 mins - Morgan then played a long drop kick up the park that took a wicked bounce that flew towards Eastleigh's goal. Pullen watched it all the way and had to be alert to the danger, catching the ball with good handling.
HALF TIME: Eastleigh 0-0 Braintree
47 mins - It took Eastleigh jsut two minutes into the restart to get their noses in front, as they came out of the blocks the quickest. The skipper, Danny Smith threaded a perfect ball down the line, which Ollie Adejayi made a mess of (not helped by the pitch of course) as it slipped right through his foot. ANDY FORBES was on to it like a flash and did the rest with a cool, calm and collected finish from the edge of the area poking the ball to the right of the keeper who had charged out of his goal.
52 mins - Five minutes later, Eastleigh were pegged back instanstly as Braintree replied. A good free kick from Quinton saw Russ Edwards power a header at goal which Pullen did well to parry. BERTIE BRAYLEY was on hand to pick up the pieces and scramble the ball over the line for the equaliser.
61 mins - Liam George replaced by Darren Wheeler
64 mins - The referee brought the game to an abrupt end by calling the manager's together and signalling the end of the match, much to everyone's disappointment as the game had been lively, and both sets of players were just getting used to the conditions.
MATCH ABANDONED: Eastleigh 1-1 Braintree
Match Report by Jamie Montigue
With the pitch in an awful state from a heavy downpour , it was a wonder how the game even began, but once that decision was made surely it had to be seen through until the end.
Just when both sides had got used to the conditions, with Andy Forbes scoring two minutes into the second half with an excellent finish and Braintree hitting back with an instant reply from former Spitfire, Bertie Brayley.
Incredibly the referee, with sixty-four minutes played, the pitch in slightly better condition if anything with the work done with the fork at half time, brought both managers together and shocked all present by bringing the game to a premature end. Understandably several if not all players were livid at the decision having made a real go of it despite not being the best of circumstances.
5 mins - Oliver slipped on poor surface with Rob Martin capitalising putting in a good ball for Bertie Brayley whose shot was blocked superbly by El-Salahi who was then fouled by the former Spitfire for his troubles.
12 mins - The game continued to be predictably scrappy with the pitch cutting up. Eastleigh had a chance from a David Hughes free kick but no one attacked what was an excellent delivery to the far post.
15 mins - Jamie Brown played an excellent ball through to Andy Forbes who pulled it back for Liam George. The former Luton Town forward took to long to get a shot in and when he did it was deflected behind for a corner kick.
16 mins - Continued pressure from the home side with no less than four straight corners, Chris Collins tried to hook the ball towards goal but the captain Bradley Quinton got himself between the player and the goal and eventually scrambled it away to start a counter attack for Braintree.
21 mins - Braintree were presented with a golden opportunity to take the lead. With the pitch at fault yet again, James Pullen's attempted throw to the wing fell way short of its destination stopping dead in the mud for Bertie Brayley to help himself to a free run at the Eastleigh goal. With no defender in sight, Brayley pulled the trigger but Pullen redeemed himself with a smart save to turn the ball behind with his legs.
24 mins - A deep free kick from the visitors saw Pullen come a long way off his line, but fail to collect. When the corner came in from the right, Brayley hit a shot from the edge of the area from which Pullen smothered the wet ball under pressure.
28 mins - Eastleigh right back Tarkan Mustafa ran a good half length across the pitch with excellent commitment to cut out a prospering attack from Braintree's Louis Riddle. When the ball came back in play Riddle tried to get one other his opponent with a late challenge leaving his foot in there catching Mustafa badly.
31 mins - Amid all the gloom with the weather, a certain Jason Dodd livened things up much to the amusement of all present. Kicking a new ball on to the pitch, the Eastleigh manager slipped in a puddle losing his footing and was covered head to toe in mud! Will he ever live that one down? (Sorry Jason, it had to be mentioned!)
35 mins - The dedication from Eastleigh was fantastic, with Andy Forbes closing down on one side of the pitch to win possession, and then shortly after Jamie Brown showed more of the same down the right. With the pitch in the state it was, it would have been so much easier to let these type of challenges go by - great effort.
Down the other end Brayley was still lively creating an opening for Riddle with a lovely turn. Louis Riddle's chipped effort watched over the bar by James Pullen.
38 mins - The game continued at a frantic pace. Iron's keeper Nick Morgan, let the elements get the better of him with a poor kick straight to Danny Smith who nodded the ball on first time into the path of Andy Forbes. Forbes held the ball up with a neat delay before sidestepping his marker and drilling the ball low towards goal. To Morgan's credit, his handling was excellent to keep the effort out.
42 mins - Morgan then played a long drop kick up the park that took a wicked bounce that flew towards Eastleigh's goal. Pullen watched it all the way and had to be alert to the danger, catching the ball with good handling.
HALF TIME: Eastleigh 0-0 Braintree
47 mins - It took Eastleigh jsut two minutes into the restart to get their noses in front, as they came out of the blocks the quickest. The skipper, Danny Smith threaded a perfect ball down the line, which Ollie Adejayi made a mess of (not helped by the pitch of course) as it slipped right through his foot. ANDY FORBES was on to it like a flash and did the rest with a cool, calm and collected finish from the edge of the area poking the ball to the right of the keeper who had charged out of his goal.
52 mins - Five minutes later, Eastleigh were pegged back instanstly as Braintree replied. A good free kick from Quinton saw Russ Edwards power a header at goal which Pullen did well to parry. BERTIE BRAYLEY was on hand to pick up the pieces and scramble the ball over the line for the equaliser.
61 mins - Liam George replaced by Darren Wheeler
64 mins - The referee brought the game to an abrupt end by calling the manager's together and signalling the end of the match, much to everyone's disappointment as the game had been lively, and both sets of players were just getting used to the conditions.
MATCH ABANDONED: Eastleigh 1-1 Braintree
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