Opening day misery - Taggs sees red and Braintree seal the points

EASTLEIGH 1-2 BRAINTREE TOWN

SATURDAY 8th AUGUST 2009
Blue Square South

Report by Jamie Montigue
Eastleigh's opening day of the new league season got off to a miserable start this afternoon, as Braintree Town paid a visit to the Silverlake Stadium.

After an impeccably observed minutes silence for footballing legend Sir Bobby Robson, which was carried out all around the country, Eastleigh showed some early promise but things quickly turned sour.

Peter Adeniyi lofted a ball forward to Andy Forbes in the opening minute, who in turn chested the ball down into the path of Tony Taggart. The Spitfires’ top goalscorer from last year struck the ball on the volley, though his effort rifled harmlessly over the bar.

The visitors were soon celebrating the opening goal of the game, the first here at the Silverlake Stadium of the new season, as Braintree Town found a way through the Eastleigh rearguard with a well-worked set piece that caught everybody off guard.

With the Eastleigh defence taking up a position on the far side of the penalty area to mark their men, they were caught out by a quickly played free kick short into the unmarked GEORGE PURCELL who took full advantage of the situation finishing superbly with a fine left footed strike past the despairing dive of Jason Matthews and into the top corner of goal from 12 yards.

In the tenth minute, Taggart terrorised the Braintree right back before sending a cross from the left to the far post that was just beyond Forbes before Adam Bailey-Dennis cut out the danger, turning the ball away for a corner.

Taggart and Eastleigh new-boy Shaun McAuley then combined with a swift one-two switch to tee up Danny Smith whose driven shot was blocked and cleared.

A minute later, McAuley’s pace down the right caused havoc to Braintree once more as the tricky winger slipped a superb pass right into the path of Richard Gillespie. The former Bashley striker made a great first touch to take the pass into his stride as a golden chance opened up in front of him. Unfortunately for Eastleigh, Gillespie’s left-footed shot was weak and straight at one-time Eastleigh goalkeeper Nicky Morgan, who featured for the Spitfires away to Havant at the end of last season.

Smith won Eastleigh a free kick in the 18th minute, which Brett Poate stepped up to power an excellent effort from 25-yards narrowly wide of the upright.

Braintree were playing very direct, meanwhile Eastleigh were still trying to find a way back into the game.

Just short of half an hour played, the Spitfires were denied two valid penalty shouts firstly for hand ball as McAuley’s cross into the box was far from dealt with, as Taggart then had a header turned away from goal.

Tom Jordan was fouled just outside the penalty area minutes later, and from the resulting free kick Tony Taggart’s shot was blocked by the Braintree wall.

Despite Eastleigh putting up a good fight to find an equaliser, Eastleigh’s afternoon went from bad to worse. Taggart, clearly frustrated for the referee ignoring a trip on him and denying a penalty kick, got back to his feet and lunged in on Ryan Moran with one foot off the ground. I personally don’t believe their was any malicious intent, just that it was a late challenge and attempt to win the ball.

Immediately Mr Smith pulled out a red card however, and Taggart was given his marching orders leaving Eastleigh with a lot on their hands to draw level with ten men.

Moran was stretchered off and it was later revealed that the Braintree defender suffered ankle ligament damage as a result of the challenge.

Eastleigh needed to regroup and fast, if they were to salvage anything from the game, and in all fairness their effort could not be faulted. The season could not really have got off to a worse possible start due to the events of the first half that unfolded.

Three minutes before the break, Braintree hit Eastleigh on the counter attack, as Tommy Tejan-Sie, ran clean through after a missed interception by McAuley only to fire narrowly wide of the near post with a left foot shot.

Moments later, Tejan-Sie picked out Jacob Mingle with a right wing cross, and the latter’s excellent diving header whistled just inches over the cross bar as Braintree looked to make use of their one man advantage going into half time.

In the five minutes of injury time, the Spitfires saw more of the ball and delivered crosses into the Braintree penalty area from the left peg of Poate but couldn’t find a way through.

HALF TIME: Eastleigh 0-1 Braintree Town

At the start of the second half, Purcell, the goalscorer, cut inside past Aaron Martin to the right of goal but fired a wild shot with his left foot that proved to be harmless in the end and nearer to the corner flag.

Meanwhile at the opposite end of the pitch, good play from Shaun McAuley who beat his man, had his low cross cut out ahead of Richard Gillespie in the centre.

As if being a goal and a man down was not enough, in the 54th minute things took a further turn for the worse for Ian Baird's side as Jason Matthews withdrew due to a dead leg after a heavy challenge.

Gareth Howells took the gloves and settled any nerves with a valuable first contribution of two excellent punches away from danger following two tricky crosses into the Eastleigh penalty area.

On the hour mark, Peter Adeniyi rounded three players and had a shot from the edge of the box deflected through safely to the keeper.

A minute later, Eastleigh got no more than their just rewards with a beautifully crafted equaliser. Finally it looked as though the fortunes were beginning to change as ANDY FORBES scored with a perfectly executed headed goal as he rose like a salmon at the back post to meet Brett Poate's left-wing delivery and apply a sublime finishing touch past the keeper.

In the 67th minute, Poate came unbelievably close to giving Eastleigh an unlikely lead as he sent Morgan the wrong way from a splendid free kick effort that came back off the cross bar.

Three minutes later, the visitors hit the woodwork too, but this time, Gareth Howells came to the rescue for the hosts with a massive one-handed stop to push Sean Marks’ free header up and on to the cross bar from point blank range. This fine stop and vital touch kept his side in with a fighting chance with the game tied at one-apiece.

To Eastleigh's credit, the hosts battled on with ten men and outplayed the eleven of Braintree for the majority of the second half having re-grouped and pulled together as a team.

At times it was hard to tell which side had a man down as Eastleigh went about their jobs professionally with Aaron Martin a rock in the centre of defence standing out and drawing the plaudits once again. Danny Smith typically worked tirelessly in the midfield, Shaun McAuley also showed a great first touch, deadly pace and just what he could be capable of this season if given the right service down the wing.

With the game coming to a close, Eastleigh began to tire but looked as though they would hold on and even pinch a further goal of their own.

Purcell and Marks combined for the visitors but were thwarted twice by Aaron Martin who headed away and then slid in with a well-timed challenge to soak up the pressure.

Howells kept out a hooked shot from Tejan-Sie before Brett Williams made a sharp turn for Eastleigh at the opposite end where his left foot strike was kept out.

McAuley left Andrew Howells for dead on a quick counter attack for Eastleigh but his ball into the middle didn’t quite fall kindly despite Andy Forbes’ sliding challenge with the keeper to get on to the loose ball.

Braintree stole all three points perhaps undeservedly for all of Eastleigh's effort in response to the setbacks and some harsh decisions consistently going against them, as SEAN MARKS stole in to head home two minutes from time, unattended from close range.

From this point on, it was all Eastleigh, as the Spitfires through everything forward in the four minutes of stoppage time added on. McAuley came the closest with a great strike that looked set to find the top corner of goal. Somehow, Nicky Morgan got across to make a save right out of the top drawer diving to his right to ensure a winning start for Braintree.

For Eastleigh, it will be a case of coming back stronger starting with Tuesday night’s trip to Weymouth.

FULL TIME: Eastleigh 1–2 Braintree Town

Match pictures by Jamie Montigue

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