Newport County 0-1 Eastleigh

NEWPORT COUNTY v EASTLEIGH



WEDNESDAY 25th FEBRUARY 2009
Blue Square South

Report by Malcolm Clarke

Eastleigh completed their second double of the season when they won 1-0 at Newport. They announced an unchanged line up from Saturday's game with Bishops Stortford, which meant that new signing Bertie Brayley who was returning to the club after a short spell in 2006 was on the substitutes bench.

Early on, Tony Taggart had a shot saved and Newport's Kris Leek also shot just wide. For Eastleigh Jamie Brown and Brett Williams came close with headers following crosses by Peter Adeniyi and Anthony Riviere respectively, however after a bright start from the Spitfires, at the other end Newport who included former Eastleigh defender Ashley Vickers, and familiar names to Salisbury followers in Wayne Turk and Aaron Cook, came close twice with Cochlin having one shot saved one-handed by Matthews, and another of his efforts hitting the bar.

Eastleigh again started the second half brightly and forced a few corners.

They took the lead in the 52nd minute when Ashley Carew scored from the edge of the area with an excellently executed curling shot for his first goal for the club, having just extended his loan spell from Barnet.

Brown came close to converting a cross from the left for a second goal, but for most of the remainder of the game Newport had more possession,but Eastleigh were defending well and denying them chances. Foley shot wide, but although Newport were using Vickers as a striker and their goalkeeper was coming up for set pieces late in the game, Eastleigh were able to complete the win that moves them further ahead of the teams below them.

Brayley came on in the first half for the injured Taggart, and was in the winning side for Eastleigh in his first league game for the first time.