Two goals down, 4-2 win!

TEAM: Grant Porter, Craig Richards, Rob Marshall (c), Nicky Cole, Scott Gilham, Liam Winzar, Joe Prince-Wright, Andy Harris, Lee O'Connell, Ben Bosley, Brett Williams.

SUBS: Andy Jacob (on for O'Connell 62), Lewis Hunt (on for Prince-Wright 75),Sayem Kabir (on for Winzar 81) - unused: Chris Hall, Andy Weston.

MATCH REPORT BY JAMIE MONTIGUE

An enthralling Suburban League encounter this afternoon saw Eastleigh reserves overcome a two goal deficit to come out impressive 4-2 winners.

The visitors could so easily have taken the lead within the first minute of the game, as Jaydon Gibbs threaded a ball through to Jack Gallafant. The Whyteleafe striker got the better of Rob Marshall but hit a miserable attempt at goal with just the keeper to beat.

Eastleigh fell behind on 16 minutes to a splendid strike from Jerome Elroy (pictured below). As the throw came in quickly, the Spitfires were caught napping and were made to punish by the sweetly struck volley that went in off the upright. The goal came as a result of a poor back pass by Nicky Cole to keeper, Grant Porter,who could only boot the ball into touch under pressure.

Brett Williams fired a header over the bar on 20 minutes for Eastleigh's first attempt on goal, following good work from Rob Marshall. However the referee's assistant on the near side adjudged the cross from the centre half (who incidentally was up for a free kick), to have gone out of play before the ball came in for Williams.

Whyteleafe were in search of a second goal and they came close just after half an hour of play when the ball was knocked out of the hands of Porter with the goalscorer Jerome Elroy picking up on the loose ball. Porter recovered well, blocking with his legs to deny the visitors.

It wasn't until the end of the half that the Spitfires played their best football. Ben Bosley helped the ball on to strike partner Brett Williams after a promising run from Scott Gilham in a more advanced position down the left, to start the attack. Williams hit it well but the keeper was equal to it as the referee ended the first forty-five minutes - the best was yet to come!

HALF TIME: Eastleigh Res. 0-1 Whyteleafe Res.

An incredibly lively start to the second half saw three goals in the space of ten minutes. It didn't take Whyteleafe long to double their lead as they came quickly out of the blocks. Dean Eaton was allowed to turn too easily on the edge of the penalty area but he still had the task of beating Porter, which he did, squeezing a low drive into the bottom left hand corner.

Moments later, Eastleigh were under threat again and very nearly fell further behind. Nicky Cole gave the ball away in a dangerous position and Jack Gallafant looked to take full advantage as he evaded Gilham's sliding challenge, hitting the foot of the post and somehow staying out as it bounced against Joe Prince-Wright.

The former Salisbury youth talent, did ever so well to clear the danger and start a brilliant counter attack down the left flank. Brett Williams flicked a clever pass behind the defence with Ben Bosley looking suspiciously offside. The flag stayed down all the same, and Bosley did all the rest slotting the ball underneath the outstretched arms of the keeper and into the net with a cool finish.

Just three minutes later, Eastleigh had levelled things up with a peach of a goal. Whether it was meant as a cross or not is another question, but even so, Craig Richards will take all the credit and plaudits. Richards picked the ball up on the right hand side, with little on and jinked past one defender before nutmegging the next and pulling the trigger. The ball nestled firmly into the top corner and it looked an absolute stunner and more importantly turned the game around for Ian Knight and Wayne Mew's side to give them the confidence to take all three points.

With all this drama, there was still plenty more to come, Brett Williams grabbing the next goal on 65 minutes to complete a remarkable fight back. Richards turned provider this time to tee up Brett Williams who thumped the ball past the keeper with a snapshot inside the area.

There was only to be one winner from here, with Eastleigh now playing some splendid football. Ben Bosley grafted well up the front to win possession and in doing so found substitute Sayem Kabir in acres of space. Bosley darted into the box and with what was Kabir's first touch of the game, picked out the young forward a cross measured to perfection but Bosley's header came back off the woodwork. It was a great move and deserved a lot more. Andy Harris followed up with another good effort but his shot was deflected and Whyteleafe briefed a sigh of relief.

In the closing stages of the game, Craig Richards was penalised for holding back Dean Eaton on the edge of the penalty area and consequently conseded a free kick in a dangerous position, that could have led to a dramatic late equaliser. Luke Harmsworth stepped up, but got it all wrong to throw away their last chance of taking a share of the spoils.

Eastleigh then finished the game off with another strike from Ben Bosley to wrap things off in style and seal the win.

FULL TIME: Eastleigh Res. 4-2 Whyteleafe Res.