Reserves up to 2nd as fine league form continues
Eastleigh Res. 2-1 Ashford Town (Middx) Res.
Suburban Premier League
TEAM: Fred Toomer, Adam Gatcumb, Aaron Blaxall, Adam Wiltshire, Aaron Martin ©, Scott Gilham, Joe Crook, Chris Mason, Andy Forbes, Ben White, Nick Watt
Subs: Leonildo Simoes (on for Watt 84), Alex Easton (on for White 65), Fred Dukes, Samba M'Baye (on for Crook 75), Jon Webb
By Jamie Montigue
Eastleigh Reserves continued their eight game unbeaten run in the league in front of a good following of Spitfires fans due to the first team not having a fixture.
Ian Baird's side were scheduled to play Team Bath this afternoon but as their Blue Square South counterparts were still in the FA Cup (where they emerged 1-0 victors over Eastleigh's local rivals Salisbury City), the Eastleigh first team were without a game.
Hot-shot striker Andy Forbes came through a full 90 minutes, which again is very positive as he steadily comes back to full fitness.
With first team manager Baird watching on, and the crowd making a lot of noise with the drum and continuous singing to provide great support for the youngsters and a decent atmosphere for a reserve team game, Paul Wiltshire and Wayne Mew's team fell behind as early as the fifth minute.
Ashford Town's Jimmy Stanford curled an unstoppable free kick past the young Freddie Toomer into the top corner from 25-yards out to the right of goal.
Eastleigh responded well with Nick Watt coming close from a chipped effort in the 11th minute and then came the equalising goal thirteen minutes later.
ADAM WILTSHIRE took it very well firing into the bottom corner for 1-1 shooting on the turn from distance.
Full back Adam Gatcumb's deep cross found Forbes two minutes after Eastleigh had drawn level, and the fans favourite striker had his header deflected behind for a corner.
Forbes again posed problems in and around the penalty area as he volleyed just wide of the post as a cross was headed down by a defender into his path a little over the half hour mark.
At the opposite end, eight minutes before the break, both Aaron Blaxall and Aaron Martin bravely thwarted an Ashford attempt from close range by sliding in to save an otherwise certain goal as the scores remained all square at the break.
Chris Mason shot straight at the keeper as Eastleigh came out in search of a goal straight away in the second half.
Still within the opening four minutes after the break, a great header by Andy Forbes that he rose high in the air to win, was then nodded down perfectly into the path of Ben White who found himself clean through on goal.
The young striker squandered a good chance from 12 yards but did well to be in the right position in the first place.
Nick Watt showed promise down the left flank and in the 50th minute delivered an excellent delivery to the far post, though to his disappointment nobody was there to take full advantage of it.
Eastleigh cranked up the pressure on the Ashford goal and looked to have won a penalty kick when a Joe Crook shot appeared to strike the hand of an opponent in the area. The referee's assistant immediately raised his flag, though the referee was uninterested.
In the 60th minute Eastleigh came close once more. A Nick Watt throw in from the left was flicked on by Forbes at the near post for Crook to turn goal wards only to be denied by an instinctive piece of goalkeeping, Dan Cox pulling off a great reaction save.
The Spitfires finally got their just rewards taking the lead 19 minutes from time. Adam Gatcumb was instrumental flicking the ball over his marker on the far side before volleying the ball across into a packed penalty area. The ball was half cleared only as far as JOE CROOK on the edge of the area who provided a stunning volley that left the keeper motionless as it sailed past him and into the net in some style.
Forbes might have added a third two minutes from the end but could only slice his effort narrowly wide of the target from a Gatcumb cross.
Finally in the closing stages, the Spitfires were given a let off as the ball over the top from their visitors saw Jon Palmer clean through and fortunately for the hosts, the striker drilled his shot well wide with his left foot from this excellent chance to ensure a share of the spoils. He didn't take it and Eastleigh had done enough to secure yet another victory in the Suburban Premier League and lift themselves to second in the division.
Suburban Premier League
TEAM: Fred Toomer, Adam Gatcumb, Aaron Blaxall, Adam Wiltshire, Aaron Martin ©, Scott Gilham, Joe Crook, Chris Mason, Andy Forbes, Ben White, Nick Watt
Subs: Leonildo Simoes (on for Watt 84), Alex Easton (on for White 65), Fred Dukes, Samba M'Baye (on for Crook 75), Jon Webb
By Jamie Montigue
Eastleigh Reserves continued their eight game unbeaten run in the league in front of a good following of Spitfires fans due to the first team not having a fixture.
Ian Baird's side were scheduled to play Team Bath this afternoon but as their Blue Square South counterparts were still in the FA Cup (where they emerged 1-0 victors over Eastleigh's local rivals Salisbury City), the Eastleigh first team were without a game.
Hot-shot striker Andy Forbes came through a full 90 minutes, which again is very positive as he steadily comes back to full fitness.
With first team manager Baird watching on, and the crowd making a lot of noise with the drum and continuous singing to provide great support for the youngsters and a decent atmosphere for a reserve team game, Paul Wiltshire and Wayne Mew's team fell behind as early as the fifth minute.
Ashford Town's Jimmy Stanford curled an unstoppable free kick past the young Freddie Toomer into the top corner from 25-yards out to the right of goal.
Eastleigh responded well with Nick Watt coming close from a chipped effort in the 11th minute and then came the equalising goal thirteen minutes later.
ADAM WILTSHIRE took it very well firing into the bottom corner for 1-1 shooting on the turn from distance.
Full back Adam Gatcumb's deep cross found Forbes two minutes after Eastleigh had drawn level, and the fans favourite striker had his header deflected behind for a corner.
Forbes again posed problems in and around the penalty area as he volleyed just wide of the post as a cross was headed down by a defender into his path a little over the half hour mark.
At the opposite end, eight minutes before the break, both Aaron Blaxall and Aaron Martin bravely thwarted an Ashford attempt from close range by sliding in to save an otherwise certain goal as the scores remained all square at the break.
HALF TIME: Eastleigh Res. 1-1 Ashford Town Res.
Chris Mason shot straight at the keeper as Eastleigh came out in search of a goal straight away in the second half.
Still within the opening four minutes after the break, a great header by Andy Forbes that he rose high in the air to win, was then nodded down perfectly into the path of Ben White who found himself clean through on goal.
The young striker squandered a good chance from 12 yards but did well to be in the right position in the first place.
Nick Watt showed promise down the left flank and in the 50th minute delivered an excellent delivery to the far post, though to his disappointment nobody was there to take full advantage of it.
Eastleigh cranked up the pressure on the Ashford goal and looked to have won a penalty kick when a Joe Crook shot appeared to strike the hand of an opponent in the area. The referee's assistant immediately raised his flag, though the referee was uninterested.
In the 60th minute Eastleigh came close once more. A Nick Watt throw in from the left was flicked on by Forbes at the near post for Crook to turn goal wards only to be denied by an instinctive piece of goalkeeping, Dan Cox pulling off a great reaction save.
The Spitfires finally got their just rewards taking the lead 19 minutes from time. Adam Gatcumb was instrumental flicking the ball over his marker on the far side before volleying the ball across into a packed penalty area. The ball was half cleared only as far as JOE CROOK on the edge of the area who provided a stunning volley that left the keeper motionless as it sailed past him and into the net in some style.
Forbes might have added a third two minutes from the end but could only slice his effort narrowly wide of the target from a Gatcumb cross.
Finally in the closing stages, the Spitfires were given a let off as the ball over the top from their visitors saw Jon Palmer clean through and fortunately for the hosts, the striker drilled his shot well wide with his left foot from this excellent chance to ensure a share of the spoils. He didn't take it and Eastleigh had done enough to secure yet another victory in the Suburban Premier League and lift themselves to second in the division.
FULL TIME: Eastleigh Res. 2-1 Ashford Town Res.
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