Forbes hat trick in Spurs demolition

EASTLEIGH v FLEET SPURS

WEDNESDAY 10th OCTOBER 2008
Hampshire Senior Cup 2nd Round

By Jamie Montigue

In this Hampshire Senior Cup 2nd round tie, Eastleigh took on Fleet Spurs at the Silverlake Stadium with a blend of youth and first team players.

Amongst the more experienced members in the starting line up were Gareth Howells and Tom Jordan at the back to provide a solid base, whilst David Hughes orchestrated the midfield alongside the fit again Neil Davies. Andy Forbes and James Baker provided a strong attacking force with Adam Roberts complementing those already mentioned and was a potent threat down the right flank.

Inside the first minute of the game an early cross from Taz saw Forbes head the ball down into the path of Davies whose attempt at goal was cleared away.

With eleven minutes played, James Baker forced a corner kick, from which, young central defender Tom Nicholas headed narrowly wide of the target.

The Spitfires took the lead just three minutes later. Fleet Spurs' David Drinkwater made a horrible mess of finding his goalkeeper and captain Ged Walker with the back pass, instead poking it past him and into the net for an own goal handing Eastleigh a 1-0 advantage.

In the seventeenth minute, David Hughes slipped a wonderful pass through for Forbes whose perfectly timed run was unfortunately not matched by the finish, which was off target.

James Baker forced a save out of Walker soon after with a header from James Powell's deep cross.

Eastleigh again could have increased their lead following excellent wing play from Taz who got at the full back, worked a bit of space before rolling the ball across goal. Forbes was on to it quickly but sliced the effort wide of goal with his weaker left foot.

The hosts continued their constant pressure with David Hughes playing a good ball into Baker from a free kick on the far side. The former Braintree Town striker's snapshot was very well saved by Walker who showed great reactions to keep out the powerful strike.

Spurs came the closest to a goal ten minutes before the break with a downward header from Sam Knowles.

Two minutes later Davies brought down Stan Grundy on the edge of the penalty area, conceding a free kick in a dangerous position, however the execution of the set piece was poor and straight into the wall. The follow up was not much better as the ball sailed well wide with Howells still to be tested.

In the closing stages of the half, a throw in by Fred Smart on the left was expertly headed on by Forbes into the path of Davies who missed a glorious opportunity when unchallenged as he couldn't keep the ball down.

The Spitfires doubled their advantage on the stroke of half time, JAMES BAKER the scorer slamming the ball home from 10 yards as the visitors failed to clear the danger.

HALF TIME: Eastleigh 2-0 Fleet Spurs

Making an impressive start to the second half, James Baker held the ball up on the near side before finding room for the cross and picking out his strike partner. Forbes had made a good run to the near post and picked up on the delivery, clipping the ball first time towards goal and extremely unlucky to see it hit the top of the cross bar and go behind.

In the 53rd minute, David Hughes played the ball into the feet of JAMES BAKER, who cut back on to his right foot picking out the corner of goal beautifully for his second and Eastleigh's third.

This proved to be Baker's last action as both he and David Hughes were given a rest being replaced by William Peauroux and Joe Maxwell.

On the hour mark, Taz continued to run his opponents ragged with the ball at his feet as he found Maxwell with a cross from the right. The latter went for the over head kick and came close with the fine effort.

Eastleigh, making things look easy, went four goals to the good when a corner from Roberts was headed home in fine fashion by the substitute JOE MAXWELL in the 67th minute.

Peauroux keen to make an impact, drilled a low shot from the edge of the area inches wide of goal as he latched on to the loose ball from a weak defensive clearance soon after his introduction.

A wonderful sight which has proved to be all too familiar in the past, is that of ANDY FORBES finding the net. It was Eastleigh's top goalscorer who grabbed goal number five to prove that Forbes is well and truly on the comeback trail.

Just a minute later, Forbes so nearly doubled his tally from a left flank cross by Aaron Blaxall, but his acrobatic volley at the back post was met by an equally impressive save by Ged Walker.

The goals now coming thick and fast, and Fleet Spurs crumbling under each wave of Eastleigh pressure, ANDY FORBES bagged his second goal of the game stretching the Spitfires' advantage to 6-0. Aaron Blaxall's shot was too hot to handle and Forbes followed in well, keeping a cool head to casually lift the ball over Walker.

Eastleigh's third and final substitution saw Aaron Blaxall replaced by Chris Mason in the 81st minute.

Four minutes from time, Maxwell played a square ball to his left to find Mason in acres of space though the shot failed to trouble the keeper.

Maxwell then was given a free header from close range from Peauroux's high ball into the penalty area but Walker kept it out.

At the opposite end, Howells' first save of the game saw the experienced goalkeper stand tall to block an attempt from Sam Knowles at his near post.

Taz crossed the ball in from the left wing this time where his delivery was headed behind by David Drinkwater under pressure from Davies. Completing a perfect night for Eastleigh, Andy Forbes rounded off the demolition with goal number seven, a sublime, powerful volley for his hat trick. Welcome back Forbesy!

FULL TIME: Eastleigh 7-0 Fleet Spurs