Football back on the agenda as Spitfires cruise to away win
MAIDENHEAD UNITED v EASTLEIGH
SATURDAY 23rd JANUARY 2010
Blue Square South
Report by Ray Murphy
This really was the bare thread of Eastleigh that performed at Maidenhead on Saturday. Danny Smith and Brett Poate both serving a one match suspension, the starting line up virtually picked itself with Jamie Brown dropping to the substitutes bench to allow Richard Gillespie and Andy Forbes to start as the strike force for the side’s first game for four weeks. Peter Adeniyi celebrated his thirtieth birthday with a place in the starting line up replacing Smith whilst Ian Oliver back from his loan spell at Gosport Borough filled Poate’s usual left back role.
Eastleigh started showing they were eager to make up for those lost weeks. It took them only four minutes to open the scoring. Tony Taggart’s right wing corner floated right underneath the crossbar. Maidenhead’s goalkeeper Chris Tardif once a trialist at Eastleigh only managed to palm the ball up on to the bar allowing Tom Jordan to nod the ball over the line for goal number one.
Kieran Knight fired wide from a long-range effort three minutes later but on nine minutes Eastleigh scored a second. Shaun McAuley crossed from the right flank allowing Taggart a curling header that struck the upright only to fall invitingly for Forbes to ram the ball into the back of the net.
Eastleigh added a third on eighteen minutes; Gillespie cutting inside his defender on the edge before sending a left foot drive soaring into the roof of Tardif's net.
The home defence had no answer for the pace or trickery of Shaun McAuley or Taggart, though any thoughts of a goal spree was never really promised. Nevin Saroya produced a weak hearer from Jack Bradshaw’s free kick on the half hour, which was saved by Jason Matthews, but Maidenhead never posed Eastleigh a real threat in the opening half.
On thirty-six minutes Oliver’s cross to the far post was met by Forbes whose header back was collected by Jordan but Jordan’s shot was blocked by home skipper Mark Nesbit. Forbes himself had another effort blocked a minute later. On forty minutes Tardif’s long goal kick was headed right back in behind the Maidenhead defence by Jordan allowing Forbes to get in behind the defence but his shot was saved by Tardif.
Maidenhead made a couple of personnel changes at the interval in an attempt to stem the flow, though Eastleigh never offered the same flair as shown in the opening half for the second period. One of the substitutes Ashley Smith fired wide in the opening minutes but again Eastleigh were never really threatened into losing their advantage.
There were few chances in the second period for either side. Forbes collected Taggart’s free kick but Tardif saved his effort and Smith for the home side dragged another effort wide of goal. The closest to a goal in the period was six minutes from time when Matt Day’s cross into the area was headed back across the face of goal by Taggart with no one able to apply the finishing touch.
Overall though a professional, convincing display by The Spitfires who kept themselves composed at all times and kept the ball entertaining the visiting fans for the final minutes of the game with some fancy footwork from the side.
Eastleigh started showing they were eager to make up for those lost weeks. It took them only four minutes to open the scoring. Tony Taggart’s right wing corner floated right underneath the crossbar. Maidenhead’s goalkeeper Chris Tardif once a trialist at Eastleigh only managed to palm the ball up on to the bar allowing Tom Jordan to nod the ball over the line for goal number one.
Kieran Knight fired wide from a long-range effort three minutes later but on nine minutes Eastleigh scored a second. Shaun McAuley crossed from the right flank allowing Taggart a curling header that struck the upright only to fall invitingly for Forbes to ram the ball into the back of the net.
Eastleigh added a third on eighteen minutes; Gillespie cutting inside his defender on the edge before sending a left foot drive soaring into the roof of Tardif's net.
The home defence had no answer for the pace or trickery of Shaun McAuley or Taggart, though any thoughts of a goal spree was never really promised. Nevin Saroya produced a weak hearer from Jack Bradshaw’s free kick on the half hour, which was saved by Jason Matthews, but Maidenhead never posed Eastleigh a real threat in the opening half.
On thirty-six minutes Oliver’s cross to the far post was met by Forbes whose header back was collected by Jordan but Jordan’s shot was blocked by home skipper Mark Nesbit. Forbes himself had another effort blocked a minute later. On forty minutes Tardif’s long goal kick was headed right back in behind the Maidenhead defence by Jordan allowing Forbes to get in behind the defence but his shot was saved by Tardif.
Maidenhead made a couple of personnel changes at the interval in an attempt to stem the flow, though Eastleigh never offered the same flair as shown in the opening half for the second period. One of the substitutes Ashley Smith fired wide in the opening minutes but again Eastleigh were never really threatened into losing their advantage.
There were few chances in the second period for either side. Forbes collected Taggart’s free kick but Tardif saved his effort and Smith for the home side dragged another effort wide of goal. The closest to a goal in the period was six minutes from time when Matt Day’s cross into the area was headed back across the face of goal by Taggart with no one able to apply the finishing touch.
Overall though a professional, convincing display by The Spitfires who kept themselves composed at all times and kept the ball entertaining the visiting fans for the final minutes of the game with some fancy footwork from the side.
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