In Form Eastleigh up to Fifth

Weston Super Mare 0 Eastleigh 3

Match Report by Ray Murphy

Eastleigh scored a convincing three-goal victory away at Weston Super Mare. The home side were on the wrong end of a four goal defeat on Saturday so Eastleigh were expecting to be up against a side that were out for a quick recovery. Showing one change from the side that had beaten Lewes forty-eight hours earlier with Adam Everitt making his debut at the expense of Matt Hann, the opening half started as a tense affair.

Weston had a good effort on nineteen minutes when a Craig Rand header from Ben Willshers free kick was saved by James Pullen. In response Chris Piper drilled a shot narrowly wide of the upright on the next attack.

The game suddenly flourished to life with a host of chances at either end, the better ones falling the way of The Spitfires. Midway through the half a long range Marc McGregor shot was pushed up and then over the bar by Pullen, whilst Piper won the ball in the middle of the park and progressed some twenty yards before firing a shot over the bar.

David Hughes saw another long-range effort saved by home goalkeeper Ryan Northmere on twenty-eight minutes and a minute later a long Everitt throw was laid off by Andy Forbes for Damian Scannell to send in another low shot that was saved by Northmere.

Paul Sales’ chest control and first touch took the ball past his defender in the thirty fourth minute then flicked the ball past Northmere but recovering defender Craig Loxton managed to clear the ball off the line. In the closing stages of the half Weston had two long range efforts from Aaron Wilson saved by Pullen, whilst an Eastleigh free kick saw the ball fall for Luke Byles whose shot was charged down by on onrushing defender.

Ten minutes into the second period and Eastleigh did deservedly take the lead. Piper’s corner was headed goalwards by Jamie Brown but again his header was cleared off the line but the busy midfielder rattled home the loose ball much to the delight and relief of the following Eastleigh faithful.

Forbes had the ball in the net ten minutes later but the effort was ruled out for an offside decision but with sixty-seven minutes played Eastleigh added their second goal. Steve Watts laid the ball into the path of Piper, Piper set up Forbes, the striker seeing his initial shot saved by Northmere but he reacted quickest to turn home the rebound.

The home side had a couple of half chances first from Barry McConnell with yet another long range shot saved by Pullen and Pullen also had another effort to deal with from substitute Gareth Hopkins.

The final word though fell to Eastleigh substitute Hann who celebrated his arrival on the pitch scoring in the eighty seventh minute firing a low shot across the face of Northmere to nestle in the corner of the net.