Baird's boys soar onwards and upwards

AFC WIMBLEDON v EASTLEIGH



TUESDAY 2nd DECEMBER 2008
Blue Square South

Report by Ray Murphy

Eastleigh manager Ian Baird celebrated his October Manager of the Month announcement with an excellent victory away at AFC Wimbledon in front of 2,358 spectators. Being forced to change his line up for the first time in three fixtures with Andy Forbes not being able to be included owing to a dead leg, Aaron Martin came in to the side in a centre back role and the 19-year-old gave a highly impressive, mature performance. The Eastleigh threadbare squad though did have to include both Baird and his assistant Matt Gray among the substitutes for the evening.

It is also less than three weeks ago that Eastleigh up to that point this season had played eight competitive away fixtures and only won once scoring nine times and conceding twenty in the process. Their last three games all against sides in the top six of the Blue Square South have yielded three victories with nine goals in their favour.

AFC Wimbledon started as they proved throughout the evening that their fast attacking play gave the impression of the danger they could create but in all honesty the excellent Eastleigh defensive work, meant Jason Matthews was not fully stretched all evening. Eastleigh came closest to opening the scoring on twelve minutes when Tony Taggart's free kick was just off target after Steve Clark had been hauled down on the edge of the box.

Two minutes later Alan Inns powered a header wide from an Anthony Finn corner, as AFC Wimbledon wanted to make sure they did not lose their unbeaten home league record this season. Another cross from the impressive left back Chris Hussey shortly after saw Matthews turn the ball over the bar as the ball threatened to divert into the goal. Matthews also produced a good stop from a Sam Hatton header.

With twenty-eight minutes played, Eastleigh scored the opening goal. Jamie Brown was brought down on the D at the edge of the box and skipper Andy Harris fired the ball just inside the AFC Wimbledon goalkeeper Andy Little's left hand post beyond his reach for Harris’ first league goal of the season. The goal did little to spur the home side on as they struggled to break through the Eastleigh rearguard.

Eight minutes into the second period Taggart had the ball in the back of the Wimbledon net following a Harris long throw but the effort was disallowed for an infringement.

The home side had a couple of attempts to equalise both falling to ex-Grays Athletic striker Danny Kedwell first collecting the ball on the left flanks and then cutting inside before seeing his shot saved by Matthews, then a header from a Hatton cross over the bar. The leading Wimbledon scorer Jon Main failed to impress against the Eastleigh defence. With Tom Jordan and Luke Byles also both giving impressive displays.

With five minutes remaining Eastleigh settled the match. An excellent touch from Taggart brought substitute Matt Bodkin into the penalty area. Skipping past the challenge of Inns, Bodkin was tripped by the trailing foot of the defender and referee Mick McCoy had no hesitation in awarding a penalty which brought no disputes from the Wimbledon players or indeed the now silenced Wimbledon crowd. Taggart confidently struck the penalty into the bottom right hand corner.

In the final minute of the ninety, Jamie Brown somehow failed to apply a tough in the six yard area to have added a third goal and all the home side could muster during the stoppage time was a long range effort from Hatton that was dealt with by Matthews.