County just too good for winless Saturday Spitfires

NEWPORT COUNTY 1-5 EASTLEIGH



SATURDAY 12th SEPTEMBER 2009
Blue Square South

Report by Ray Murphy
The run of three successive clean sheets for the Eastleigh defence was ripped to smithereens thanks to a rampant Newport County side on Saturday. Fresh from their midweek triumph at Bath City manager Ian Baird was hoping for a repeat performance to build up the confidence in his side following their indifferent start to the season.

Eastleigh started with Brett Poate in the left back role taking the place of the injured Trevor Challis whilst Shaun McAuley was restored to the left flank following a spell out with injury. Danny Smith retained the right back berth. Eastleigh started brightly and the Newport full back Paul Bignot had his blushes saved in only the second minute when Poate’s free kick was headed back to goal by Bignot which saw Glyn Thompson having to make his first save of the afternoon.

The early play was even, Garry Warren rose above everybody in the eleventh minute to give a far post header but the effort went wide. Two minutes later Jason Matthews produced a fine stop from Scott Rogers. On twenty minutes Thompson took the ball off the head of Andy Forbes as the striker prepared to meet Smith’s curling delivery.

Newport County though were starting to leave their impression on the game with a fast rading strike pair and tricky wing play. On twenty two minutes McAuley got caught in possession and Rose making the most of the ball played into the path of the on running Sam Foley, though despite looking offside the striker still dragged his shot wide of the target. A minute later Paul Cochlin had a header saved by Matthews, play switched immediately to the opposite end where Newport skipper Aaron Cook executed an excellent block tackle in the penalty area to deny Anthony Riviere.

Eastleigh went behind in the twenty fourth minute. Thompson’s quick long clearance was flicked on by Foley and then collected by Craig Reid and although the Eastleigh defence were expecting an offside flag, the flag was never raised and Reid lobbed the advancing Matthews to allow the ball to bounce into the net. Eastleigh were back on level terms on twenty-nine minutes. Seemingly under no pressure Wayne Turk’s back header to his keeper fell short and straight to Pete Adeniyi. Adeniyi remained purely unselfish and as he drew Thompson too him, Adeniyi slipped the ball to his right to allow McAuley to shoot into an empty net.

Unfortunately for Eastleigh they remained level for less than two minutes. With the ball cleared again from the Newport rearguard, Reid set off for goal from the half way line with Aaron Martin in pursuit. The two players matched stride for stride with Martin edging his opponent away from goal. Reid reached the goal line before dragging the ball back across the face of goal where winger Charlie Henry turned up in the six-yard box to fire home at the far post. Henry set off on his goal scoring somersault celebration.

On forty minutes the hosts added their third and arguably the best goal of this afternoon. Foley was the architect with his pass in behind two Eastleigh defenders and Danny Rose fired a right foot shot from the angle on the left hand side of the area beyond the helpless Matthews.

Eastleigh could have been further behind before the break. A minute after the third goal Reid was chasing another long clearance but he hurried his shot wide of the target. Matthews produced another stop from Foley which the Eastleigh stopper had parried, Poate reacted quick enough to block another drive from Reid the ball falling for Henry who only managed to shoot against the post. Eastleigh were delighted to hear the interval whistle.

There were fewer chances in the second period. A Cook header on fifty three minutes was scrambled clear by the Eastleigh defence then twelve minutes later Smith robbed the ball off the feet of Foley as the striker prepared to fire goal wards when well placed.

Newport were always in the ascendancy. On seventy minutes Roses’ free kick was back headed goal wards by Smith to which Matthews was flying across his goal once again to stop Eastleigh going further behind. On seventy-four minutes though any hopes of an Eastleigh fight back were finished. A diagonal ball from the left flank by Rose flew over the Eastleigh defence allowing Foley to collect before firing past Matthews.

Rogers volleyed another effort wide before Newport added their final goal two minutes later. The ball again played in behind the Eastleigh defence by Wayne Turk and Reid fired home his seventh goal in five games.

With an additional eight minutes of stoppage time added on there was still time for Newport to go close to increasing their spree. Four minutes into stoppage time Jason Bradley’s deflected shot was clawed away by the wrong footed but twisting Matthews the ball only arriving at the feet of Dave Gilroy who saw his shot come back off the post.