Tough work-out with Cherries ends in heavy defeat

EASTLEIGH v AFC BOURNEMOUTH



SATURDAY 2nd AUGUST 2008
Pre-Season Friendly

EASTLEIGH: Jason Matthews, Anthony Riviere, Trevor Challis, Luke Byles, Tom Jordan (c), Ashley Vickers, Chris Mason, Tony Taggart, Matt Groves, James Baker, Mark Marshall.

Subs: Aaron Martin, Gareth Howells, Jamie Brown, Adam Shepherd, Arron Milburn, Joe Maxwell, Tom Bird.

BOURNEMOUTH: Shwan Jalal, Lee Bradbury, Ryan Garry, Scott Guyett, Jason Pearce, Marvin Bartley, Shaun Cooper, Darren Anderton, Jo Kuffour, Brett Pitman, Paul Rutherford.

Subs: Nicky Travis, Ryan Pryce, Josh McQuoid, Joel Ward, Matt Ritchie, Craig Dobson, Bradley McGugan.

By Jamie Montigue

In this final warm up game ahead of the new campaign, Eastleigh FC took on Kevin Bond's AFC Bournemouth on the back of a fantastic Errea Cup win where they played four games in just six days to emerge victorious.

Tony Taggart made his full debut having signed a contract on Thursday night after a highly successful trial and the generosity of an unnamed Director who made the signing possible by agreeing to pay the midfielder's wages out of his own pocket.

Meanwhile, flying winger Mark Marshall, who was named the Errea South West Player of the Tournament last week on his return to club after a three week trial with League One outfit Swindon Town, played his first home friendly of the new campaign in front of a 569 crowd at the Silverlake Stadium.

The Spitfires came into this match previously unbeaten throughout pre-season and have performed extremely well together as a team, however AFC Bournemouth came here this afternoon in a competitive spirit and put in a strong performance against an understandably jaded-looking Eastleigh.

With just four minutes on the clock, the visitors were in front. Lee Bradbury's cross from the right flank was headed out only as far as Marvin Bartley on the edge of the penalty area, who then fed the ball through for JO KUFFOUR who was left with a simple finish thanks to the flag staying down.

In the eighth minute, Mark Marshall attacked Bournemouth full back Lee Bradbury with promising wing play on the far side but couldn't quite direct his cross, as the referee's assistant adjudged it to have gone behind before Taggart headed into the side-netting.

Trevor Challis looked to have made a clean tackle coming out with the ball following a challenge on Paul Rutherford three minutes later, but conceded a free kick for the lunge and received a stern telling off from the referee.

AFC Bournemouth doubled their lead in the 19th minute when BRETT PITMAN won a penalty kick, which he then converted.

Kuffour played the through ball for his strike partner Pitman who raced through into the penalty area where he was caught by a trailing leg from on-rushing goalkeeper, Jason Matthews. The referee had no choice but to award the spot kick, which Pitman brushed himself off to step up and coolly despatch from 12 yards to Matthews' right and into the bottom corner.

Eastleigh were made to endure numerous attacks from Bournemouth from here on in, and Kuffour might have made it 3-0 on 25 minutes.

Ryan Garry, the Bournemouth left-back pulled a good pull back from the left to pick out Kuffour who did everything right until the finish. Squeezing past the challenges of both Trevor Challis and Ashley Vickers on the edge of the box, Kuffour managed to beat the last man to create a golden opportunity but fired wide of goal.

It wasn't until the 32nd minute that Eastleigh had their first attempt at goal. James Baker was tugged by Shaun Cooper to win a free kick, which Tony Taggart floated into the danger area to find Tom Jordan. The former Havant & Waterlooville captain attacked the ball really well with the header, which in the end flew comfortably wide.

Two minutes later, veteran midfielder Darren Anderton played a dangerous ball through the middle of the park to cut the Eastleigh defence in two. Fortunately for Eastleigh it evaded both Kuffour and Bradbury, rolling safely through to Matthews.

After some 'hand-bags' between the majority of players on the field of play came to an end, Eastleigh and Mark Marshall managed to force a corner on the left hand side, which 'Marsh' took placing a low delivery across the face of goal, which had to be cut out and thumped behind for a further flag kick.

Marshall had the second opportunity to deliver a telling cross, which he lifted this time only for the safe hands of Shwan Jalal in the Cherries goal to collect well.

The third consecutive Eastleigh corner was the most dangerous of all, with Vickers helping the ball on to the far post where Baker was unlucky to watch his glancing header wide.

Three minutes before the break, Bournemouth had a corner of their own. Jason Pearce was presented with a free header from the ball in, but failed to trouble Matthews with the effort.

On the stroke of half time, Challis picked up a knock as he along with two other Eastleigh team mates went up for the same ball, with the former Weymouth full back coming out worse off, bringing to an end an all-action and fully committed first forty-five minutes.

HALF TIME: Eastleigh 0-2 AFC Bournemouth

Three minutes after the break, Eastleigh forced an early corner kick following good work from Tony Taggart. Not for the first time, Jalal collected the ball confidently despite pressure from Vickers.

Taggart, Eastleigh's one real stand-out performer on the day, produced a save out of the Bournemouth keeper moments later as he cut in from the right before driving the ball low with his left foot.

A third goal from Bournemouth in the 52nd minute, stretched the advantage further with Kevin Bond's side now firmly in the driving seat.

An immaculate 45-yard cross field pass from Anderton, from inside his own half went a long way towards creating the chance, which JO KUFFOUR took without further delay. A short burst of speed saw him latch on to the perfect pass, where an excellent first time finish saw him net his second goal of the afternoon lobbing Matthews to make it 3-0.

Both sides made changes at this point, with young centre back Aaron Martin replacing James Baker for the Spitfires, whilst Kuffour's last action of the afternoon proved to be scoring the third goal as Josh McQuoid took to the field.

Darren Anderton continued to dominate the midfield for Bournemouth strolling around at a leisurely pace making things look easy whilst pulling all the strings.

It was Anderton who was yet again instrumental in creating the next opportunity which proved to be Bournemouth's fourth goal. The 36-year-old unselfishly played a great square ball to feed SHAUN COOPER to his left, which the former Portsmouth midfielder slammed home unchallenged.

Prior to this, Jason Matthews had done well to keep out an attempt low at his near post – another chance that Anderton had created.

Jamie Brown made a welcome return as he replaced Ashley Vickers shortly after the hour mark, coming back into the action after a hip operation, slightly ahead of schedule, which was very pleasing to see after such a long lay-off.

Jalal, the Cherries goalkeeper, started a quick counter attack from his own box having displayed safe-hands once more with a well-taken catch from a Taggart corner. Craig Dobson darted down the right flank at speed leaving his marker in his footsteps, where he then sent a good ball over that fell to Matt Ritchie. Matthews was called upon to save well, keeping out Ritchie's effort.

The Spitfires kept at it despite the tired legs against superior opponents and looked a little more lively in the closing stages.

In the 74th minute Anthony Riviere worked the ball well in a confined space to find half a yard of space and make room for the cross, which was only just behind Matt Groves, who was lurking in the middle.

Five minutes later Mark Marshall won a free kick on the left hand side and it was his good delivery that found the head of Tom Jordan – his backward header looping narrowly over the bar.

Sadly for the visitors, the superb Shwan Jalal had to be replaced in the 82nd minute having picked up an injury stretching for the ball. Ryan Pryce, the substitute goalkeeper coming on to replace him.

Seven minutes from time, Chris Mason gave Pryce his first test with a decent attempt from distance that was heading for the bottom corner, but the substitute keeper was equal to it.

Finally in the closing minutes, Matt Groves had a penalty shout turned down when he looked to be clipped by Pryce, who had come off his line to avert the danger when the contact on the Eastleigh striker was made.

Next up for Eastleigh is the big kick off in the Blue Square South with an away trip to Thurrock, where Ian Baird and his squad will look to recapture the finer moments and form from the previously unbeaten and highly successful pre-season campaign.

FULL TIME: Eastleigh 0-4 AFC Bournemouth