Great performance, crucial win!
EASTLEIGH 3-1 FARNBOROUGH TOWN
SATURDAY 10th MARCH 2007
Conference South
At the start of Eastleigh's busiest week of the season with four games in eight days, the Spitfires got off to a perfect start. It was like they had never been away, their last home game seeming an age away, with a resounding 3-1 victory that sees the side shoot up and out of the relegation zone into 17th place with games on their side. A crucial win for Jason Dodd and his Spitfires.
Eastleigh were the quickest out of the blocks looking lively and hungry for victory. Steve Watts’ looping header the first attempt on goal in the 9th minute, this coming from a great right wing delivery by Tarkan Mustafa. The save in the end was comfortable from Kevin Scriven but the attack showed good promise and intent from the home side.
The game was barely thirteen minutes old when Eastleigh stormed into the lead through KARIM EL-SALAHI. Danny Smith, the captain, had a free kick palmed to the back post by Scriven, who could not hold on to the ball that was whipped in at some speed. El-Salahi was on hand to drill the ball goalwards for his first ever goal as an Eastleigh player.
Confidence was brimming and the visitors were always on the back foot from here. Instead of sitting back, satisfied with a 1-0 lead, Eastleigh stepped up on the accelerator looking for a second goal playing some nice football along the way.
Yet more positive forward thinking play, saw dangerous crosses come in from either flank from both Andy Forbes and Darren Wheeler. Although there was no end product on these occasions, you could just sense the pressure mounting on a rather shaky looking Farnborough side.
David Hughes hit a piledriver from the edge of the area that could only be directed into the path of Watts. The former Fisher striker’s header went up and under and was kept out well initially by Scriven who was then bundled over the line, along with the ball. The foul on the keeper was unfair and as a result a free kick was given with no complaints from Eastleigh.
The pressure paid off as ANDY FORBES grabbed his 12th Conference South goal of the season in the 25th minute to double the Spitfires’ lead. El-Salahi’s ball into the box was cut out, falling loose inside the penalty area on the left hand side. Darren Wheeler did exceptionally well to pounce, pulling away from his marker and squaring a perfect pass to find Forbes in the centre. Forbes took the chance with both hands, squeezing the ball in at the far post, hitting on the turn.
Just five minutes later, Eastleigh were at it again – taking full control of the match with a third goal and only half an hour on the clock. STEVE WATTS, who came close moments before the goal with a good header, deservedly marked his name on the scoresheet by punishing what can only be described as a poor back pass across goal. Watts didn’t need a second invitation, and was onto the mistake like a flash skipping past the helpless keeper who was left stranded, with a neat touch and tapping into an empty net.
Farnborough’s first chance of note resulted in a fantastic combination of saves from James Pullen and Francis Benali who between them did remarkably well to keep the ball out. It happened so fast from a left wing corner, with the visitors coming close, and coming alive for the first time in the game.
This was just a brief scare for Jason Dodd’s side, and it wasn’t long before they were in full swing once more. Andy Forbes’ excellent wing play created a chance for Jamie Brown who took the attack on further. However Brown, after beating his marker, could only blast into the stanchion of the side netting.
With half time just minutes away, tempers boiled over especially from a frustrated Farnborough Town side. Ben Townsend sparked a 20-man brawl with a horrendous looking challenge on David Hughes. In the aftermath, Steve Watts was booked for his part in the reaction to the tackle.
The half was brought to a close with Eastleigh in complete control.
HALF TIME – Eastleigh 3-0 Farnborough Town
After a fifteen-minute break, the Spitfires came out looking to add to their comfortable lead, Jamie Brown coming closest early in the half. Brown took on Sean Hankin down the right hand side before cutting inside and blazing over with his left foot.
Andy Forbes was replaced by Carl Wilson-Denis ten minutes into the half, it may have been a tactical change, a slight knock that the forward might have picked up or with all the games coming up the management could be thinking ahead, preserving their top marksmen for Monday.
Either way, Forbes can be proud of his wholehearted display in an unfamiliar position of right midfield. Not only did he create chances but he also contributed with an important goal.
Farnborough skipper, SEAN HANKIN, grabbed what turned out to be nothing more than a consolation in a goalmouth scramble with an effort that crept past James Pullen in the Eastleigh goal. There were shadows hanging over the goal, with debate that the corner leading to the goal should perhaps have been a free kick for a foul on Pullen that saw the ball kicked out of his hands. Even so, there was no way back for Town as Eastleigh’s first half goal frenzy had already done the damage.
From here on, things became scrappy and the game almost died down with neither side having any clear chances. The referee’s stop start method became frustrating with yellow cards being dished out spontaneously. Jamie Brown and David Hughes, just two of those finding themselves in the book.
Watts continued to have a good game after an excellent first half performance. Sheer strength won Eastleigh possession from the well-built front man, in a promising position. Watts held off another challenge before playing the ball out to the left for Darren Wheeler. Wheeler took the ball to the byline before crossing into the middle, where there were shouts for handball. The referee was in a good position and awarded a corner only.
As the game came to a close, Danny Smith clearly took the ball with a good tackle but yet another bizarre decision saw the Eastleigh skipper ill-punished with a yellow card.
Eastleigh finished the game the better with second half substitute Liam George livening things up at the death with his trickery. Had Wilson-Denis found his feet things could have been even better for the Spitfires following a great ball in from George. The game was already settled however, Eastleigh picking up a priceless win, this only the second time the Silverlake Stadium has seen more than two goals scored by the home side this season.
All in all a fantastic win, with performances like we witnessed in the first forty-five minutes today, there will be absolutely nothing to panic about and plenty more chances to celebrate emphatic victories like today between now and the end of the season.
FULL TIME – Eastleigh 3-1 Farnborough Town
JAMIE MONTIGUE
SATURDAY 10th MARCH 2007
Conference South
At the start of Eastleigh's busiest week of the season with four games in eight days, the Spitfires got off to a perfect start. It was like they had never been away, their last home game seeming an age away, with a resounding 3-1 victory that sees the side shoot up and out of the relegation zone into 17th place with games on their side. A crucial win for Jason Dodd and his Spitfires.
Eastleigh were the quickest out of the blocks looking lively and hungry for victory. Steve Watts’ looping header the first attempt on goal in the 9th minute, this coming from a great right wing delivery by Tarkan Mustafa. The save in the end was comfortable from Kevin Scriven but the attack showed good promise and intent from the home side.
The game was barely thirteen minutes old when Eastleigh stormed into the lead through KARIM EL-SALAHI. Danny Smith, the captain, had a free kick palmed to the back post by Scriven, who could not hold on to the ball that was whipped in at some speed. El-Salahi was on hand to drill the ball goalwards for his first ever goal as an Eastleigh player.
Confidence was brimming and the visitors were always on the back foot from here. Instead of sitting back, satisfied with a 1-0 lead, Eastleigh stepped up on the accelerator looking for a second goal playing some nice football along the way.
Yet more positive forward thinking play, saw dangerous crosses come in from either flank from both Andy Forbes and Darren Wheeler. Although there was no end product on these occasions, you could just sense the pressure mounting on a rather shaky looking Farnborough side.
David Hughes hit a piledriver from the edge of the area that could only be directed into the path of Watts. The former Fisher striker’s header went up and under and was kept out well initially by Scriven who was then bundled over the line, along with the ball. The foul on the keeper was unfair and as a result a free kick was given with no complaints from Eastleigh.
The pressure paid off as ANDY FORBES grabbed his 12th Conference South goal of the season in the 25th minute to double the Spitfires’ lead. El-Salahi’s ball into the box was cut out, falling loose inside the penalty area on the left hand side. Darren Wheeler did exceptionally well to pounce, pulling away from his marker and squaring a perfect pass to find Forbes in the centre. Forbes took the chance with both hands, squeezing the ball in at the far post, hitting on the turn.
Just five minutes later, Eastleigh were at it again – taking full control of the match with a third goal and only half an hour on the clock. STEVE WATTS, who came close moments before the goal with a good header, deservedly marked his name on the scoresheet by punishing what can only be described as a poor back pass across goal. Watts didn’t need a second invitation, and was onto the mistake like a flash skipping past the helpless keeper who was left stranded, with a neat touch and tapping into an empty net.
Farnborough’s first chance of note resulted in a fantastic combination of saves from James Pullen and Francis Benali who between them did remarkably well to keep the ball out. It happened so fast from a left wing corner, with the visitors coming close, and coming alive for the first time in the game.
This was just a brief scare for Jason Dodd’s side, and it wasn’t long before they were in full swing once more. Andy Forbes’ excellent wing play created a chance for Jamie Brown who took the attack on further. However Brown, after beating his marker, could only blast into the stanchion of the side netting.
With half time just minutes away, tempers boiled over especially from a frustrated Farnborough Town side. Ben Townsend sparked a 20-man brawl with a horrendous looking challenge on David Hughes. In the aftermath, Steve Watts was booked for his part in the reaction to the tackle.
The half was brought to a close with Eastleigh in complete control.
HALF TIME – Eastleigh 3-0 Farnborough Town
After a fifteen-minute break, the Spitfires came out looking to add to their comfortable lead, Jamie Brown coming closest early in the half. Brown took on Sean Hankin down the right hand side before cutting inside and blazing over with his left foot.
Andy Forbes was replaced by Carl Wilson-Denis ten minutes into the half, it may have been a tactical change, a slight knock that the forward might have picked up or with all the games coming up the management could be thinking ahead, preserving their top marksmen for Monday.
Either way, Forbes can be proud of his wholehearted display in an unfamiliar position of right midfield. Not only did he create chances but he also contributed with an important goal.
Farnborough skipper, SEAN HANKIN, grabbed what turned out to be nothing more than a consolation in a goalmouth scramble with an effort that crept past James Pullen in the Eastleigh goal. There were shadows hanging over the goal, with debate that the corner leading to the goal should perhaps have been a free kick for a foul on Pullen that saw the ball kicked out of his hands. Even so, there was no way back for Town as Eastleigh’s first half goal frenzy had already done the damage.
From here on, things became scrappy and the game almost died down with neither side having any clear chances. The referee’s stop start method became frustrating with yellow cards being dished out spontaneously. Jamie Brown and David Hughes, just two of those finding themselves in the book.
Watts continued to have a good game after an excellent first half performance. Sheer strength won Eastleigh possession from the well-built front man, in a promising position. Watts held off another challenge before playing the ball out to the left for Darren Wheeler. Wheeler took the ball to the byline before crossing into the middle, where there were shouts for handball. The referee was in a good position and awarded a corner only.
As the game came to a close, Danny Smith clearly took the ball with a good tackle but yet another bizarre decision saw the Eastleigh skipper ill-punished with a yellow card.
Eastleigh finished the game the better with second half substitute Liam George livening things up at the death with his trickery. Had Wilson-Denis found his feet things could have been even better for the Spitfires following a great ball in from George. The game was already settled however, Eastleigh picking up a priceless win, this only the second time the Silverlake Stadium has seen more than two goals scored by the home side this season.
All in all a fantastic win, with performances like we witnessed in the first forty-five minutes today, there will be absolutely nothing to panic about and plenty more chances to celebrate emphatic victories like today between now and the end of the season.
FULL TIME – Eastleigh 3-1 Farnborough Town
JAMIE MONTIGUE
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