Reserves come out on top in goal glut as run continues
Eastleigh Res. 4-3 Chalfont St. Peter Res.
Suburban Premier League
TEAM: Fred Toomer, Niall Bryant, Mohammed Arahji, Tom Nicholas, Aaron Blaxall, Arron Milburn, Chris Mason ©, Jeff Cavey, Nick Watt, Scott Waters, Brett Williams
Subs: Adday (on for Arahji 53), Leonildo Simoes (on for Waters 61), Jamie Cousins (on for Cavey 77)
By Jamie Montigue
This reserves game in the Suburban Premier League saw constant action in the opening twenty minutes where four goals were shared, and the game continued in this vein with the Spitfires coming out on top in a seven-goal thriller.
Eastleigh got off to a phenomenal start with a goal after just fifteen seconds. Nick Watt slipped an excellent ball into BRETT WILLIAMS who sidestepped the last defender with great skill before planting a right-footed shot into the bottom right hand corner of goal.
Two minutes later, the hosts were threatening again with a one-two between Chris Mason and Nick Watt forcing a corner on the far side, the set piece resulting in Scott Waters' header coming back off the post.
The blistering start continued as Eastleigh doubled their lead, still with only five minutes on the clock. A Rory Delap style long throw from Arron Milburn was flicked on by Waters where CHRIS MASON met the ball with the outside of his right boot to steer home goal number two. Eastleigh were now in full swing.
In the eighth minute, Brett Williams rose well to connect with a Milburn corner but his firm header was kept out by the well-placed keeper.
A penalty shout went against Eastleigh soon after when neat interplay between the front two of Waters and Williams saw the former go down under a hefty challenge when sandwiched between two defenders.
The visitors' first real attempt was struck from 18 yards out to the right of goal, which had to be deflected behind by Tom Nicholas.
Williams, who scored two goals on his return to the club two weeks ago, nearly doubled his tally for the night when a goalkeeping blunder saw the striker receive the ball from the opposition's number one. Taking the opportunity to chip the ball, Williams went for goal, though the keeper to his credit recovered extremely well in getting back in his goal to turn the ball behind acrobatically.
Still within the opening twenty minutes and against the run of play the visitors pulled a goal back from a corner kick, with a centre half slamming home a free header at the back post.
The drama continued with Eastleigh surrendering their early two goal lead to a fine solo run with the end product to match. The equalising goal came in the 20th minute when defenders slid in, going to ground and their marker just continued to stay on his feet, dodge the challenges and finish well to beat the fit again Freddie Toomer's despairing dive.
Some eleven minutes later the visitors had a great chance to take the lead when a free kick on the right was volleyed downwards into the ground falling kindly for an unmarked striker who should have done better with his header from six yards.
Five minutes before the break a powerful run down the left flank by Williams saw him pull the back to the edge of the area when reaching the byline. Jeff Cavey latched on to the pass only to have his side-footed shot kept out on the goal line, as was Milburn's follow up sliding in.
On the counter attack the visitors found themselves clean through with Toomer completely unprotected. The young keeper parried the shot straight back out to an oncoming forward but to his credit was up and ready to react quickly to redeem himself, staying big and thwarted what appeared to be an easy chance just before the break.
HALF TIME: Eastleigh Res. 2-2 Chalfont St. Peter Res.
Three minutes into the second half Eastleigh found themselves behind for the first time in the game and suddenly their blistering start seemed an age ago.
A run down the left saw the ball turned home into the bottom right corner as the rain fell yet heavier.
Eastleigh's first change of the game, saw Adday come on for Mohammed Arahji in the 53rd minute and the second followed shortly after the hour mark with Scott Waters being replaced in attack by Leo Simoes.
Simoes quickly livened things up riding a late challenge and drawing the foul to win a free kick. The topsy-turvy game continued to spring surprises, but this time it was a pleasant one for the Spitfires as a sublime and perfectly struck free kick by CHRIS MASON dipped beautifully and beat the keeper with the ball going in off the underside of the cross bar to level things up once more.
Only a minute later Eastleigh so nearly fell behind as they were caught out at the back allowing a striker time and space in front of goal and deserved to be punished. Fortunately Eastleigh's complacency was spared by a brilliant low stop by Toomer to keep out the guilt-edge chance.
Back at the opposite end, Williams had a cross-cum-shot turned on to the cross bar from a very tight angle on the left, towards the corner flag, before the ball fell to safety.
In the 75th minute Brett Williams threatened again with his shot being deflected into the side netting as Eastleigh pushed forward in search of restoring their long lost lead.
The hosts third and final change saw Jamie Cousins come on for central midfielder Jeff Cavey, with Simoes pushing back into midfield to accommodate the substitute striker whose late goal restored a point on Saturday, whilst keeping the reserve side's unbeaten league run in tact.
NICK WATT scored the seventh goal and most importantly the one that put Eastleigh back in front at 4-3 with twelve minutes to play as he kept a cool head in the penalty area slotting the ball low into the net as the ball came his way.
Having taken the lead, Fred Toomer came a long way out of goal sliding in and going to ground with play continuing with the ball being squared across goal. The mistake however went unpunished as the striker made a hash of the opportunity to turn the ball home with the keeper out of his goal.
Cousins was played through for Eastleigh two minutes later from a lofted pass by Mason, but was unable to steady himself when one on one. Failing to bring the ball down initially due to the skiddy and rain-sodden surface, the young striker failed to trouble the keeper.
Meanwhile in this action-packed end-to-end encounter the visitors had the ball turned on to the roof of the net from a smartly taken set piece that was played short before being crossed from the right and turned over.
The finale to the game was just as frantic with Cousins holding the ball up well before playing in Williams unselfishly. The striker came inside past his marker and on to his left foot only to fire straight at the keeper who stood tall to make a good save.
Williams headed just behind from Mason's chipped free kick two minutes from time where Eastleigh then managed to see out the five additional minutes of stoppage time to take the points and remain at the top of the table.
FULL TIME: Eastleigh Res. 4-3 Chalfont St Peter Res.
Suburban Premier League
TEAM: Fred Toomer, Niall Bryant, Mohammed Arahji, Tom Nicholas, Aaron Blaxall, Arron Milburn, Chris Mason ©, Jeff Cavey, Nick Watt, Scott Waters, Brett Williams
Subs: Adday (on for Arahji 53), Leonildo Simoes (on for Waters 61), Jamie Cousins (on for Cavey 77)
By Jamie Montigue
This reserves game in the Suburban Premier League saw constant action in the opening twenty minutes where four goals were shared, and the game continued in this vein with the Spitfires coming out on top in a seven-goal thriller.
Eastleigh got off to a phenomenal start with a goal after just fifteen seconds. Nick Watt slipped an excellent ball into BRETT WILLIAMS who sidestepped the last defender with great skill before planting a right-footed shot into the bottom right hand corner of goal.
Two minutes later, the hosts were threatening again with a one-two between Chris Mason and Nick Watt forcing a corner on the far side, the set piece resulting in Scott Waters' header coming back off the post.
The blistering start continued as Eastleigh doubled their lead, still with only five minutes on the clock. A Rory Delap style long throw from Arron Milburn was flicked on by Waters where CHRIS MASON met the ball with the outside of his right boot to steer home goal number two. Eastleigh were now in full swing.
In the eighth minute, Brett Williams rose well to connect with a Milburn corner but his firm header was kept out by the well-placed keeper.
A penalty shout went against Eastleigh soon after when neat interplay between the front two of Waters and Williams saw the former go down under a hefty challenge when sandwiched between two defenders.
The visitors' first real attempt was struck from 18 yards out to the right of goal, which had to be deflected behind by Tom Nicholas.
Williams, who scored two goals on his return to the club two weeks ago, nearly doubled his tally for the night when a goalkeeping blunder saw the striker receive the ball from the opposition's number one. Taking the opportunity to chip the ball, Williams went for goal, though the keeper to his credit recovered extremely well in getting back in his goal to turn the ball behind acrobatically.
Still within the opening twenty minutes and against the run of play the visitors pulled a goal back from a corner kick, with a centre half slamming home a free header at the back post.
The drama continued with Eastleigh surrendering their early two goal lead to a fine solo run with the end product to match. The equalising goal came in the 20th minute when defenders slid in, going to ground and their marker just continued to stay on his feet, dodge the challenges and finish well to beat the fit again Freddie Toomer's despairing dive.
Some eleven minutes later the visitors had a great chance to take the lead when a free kick on the right was volleyed downwards into the ground falling kindly for an unmarked striker who should have done better with his header from six yards.
Five minutes before the break a powerful run down the left flank by Williams saw him pull the back to the edge of the area when reaching the byline. Jeff Cavey latched on to the pass only to have his side-footed shot kept out on the goal line, as was Milburn's follow up sliding in.
On the counter attack the visitors found themselves clean through with Toomer completely unprotected. The young keeper parried the shot straight back out to an oncoming forward but to his credit was up and ready to react quickly to redeem himself, staying big and thwarted what appeared to be an easy chance just before the break.
HALF TIME: Eastleigh Res. 2-2 Chalfont St. Peter Res.
Three minutes into the second half Eastleigh found themselves behind for the first time in the game and suddenly their blistering start seemed an age ago.
A run down the left saw the ball turned home into the bottom right corner as the rain fell yet heavier.
Eastleigh's first change of the game, saw Adday come on for Mohammed Arahji in the 53rd minute and the second followed shortly after the hour mark with Scott Waters being replaced in attack by Leo Simoes.
Simoes quickly livened things up riding a late challenge and drawing the foul to win a free kick. The topsy-turvy game continued to spring surprises, but this time it was a pleasant one for the Spitfires as a sublime and perfectly struck free kick by CHRIS MASON dipped beautifully and beat the keeper with the ball going in off the underside of the cross bar to level things up once more.
Only a minute later Eastleigh so nearly fell behind as they were caught out at the back allowing a striker time and space in front of goal and deserved to be punished. Fortunately Eastleigh's complacency was spared by a brilliant low stop by Toomer to keep out the guilt-edge chance.
Back at the opposite end, Williams had a cross-cum-shot turned on to the cross bar from a very tight angle on the left, towards the corner flag, before the ball fell to safety.
In the 75th minute Brett Williams threatened again with his shot being deflected into the side netting as Eastleigh pushed forward in search of restoring their long lost lead.
The hosts third and final change saw Jamie Cousins come on for central midfielder Jeff Cavey, with Simoes pushing back into midfield to accommodate the substitute striker whose late goal restored a point on Saturday, whilst keeping the reserve side's unbeaten league run in tact.
NICK WATT scored the seventh goal and most importantly the one that put Eastleigh back in front at 4-3 with twelve minutes to play as he kept a cool head in the penalty area slotting the ball low into the net as the ball came his way.
Having taken the lead, Fred Toomer came a long way out of goal sliding in and going to ground with play continuing with the ball being squared across goal. The mistake however went unpunished as the striker made a hash of the opportunity to turn the ball home with the keeper out of his goal.
Cousins was played through for Eastleigh two minutes later from a lofted pass by Mason, but was unable to steady himself when one on one. Failing to bring the ball down initially due to the skiddy and rain-sodden surface, the young striker failed to trouble the keeper.
Meanwhile in this action-packed end-to-end encounter the visitors had the ball turned on to the roof of the net from a smartly taken set piece that was played short before being crossed from the right and turned over.
The finale to the game was just as frantic with Cousins holding the ball up well before playing in Williams unselfishly. The striker came inside past his marker and on to his left foot only to fire straight at the keeper who stood tall to make a good save.
Williams headed just behind from Mason's chipped free kick two minutes from time where Eastleigh then managed to see out the five additional minutes of stoppage time to take the points and remain at the top of the table.
FULL TIME: Eastleigh Res. 4-3 Chalfont St Peter Res.
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