Eastleigh v Lewes - Preview

Eastleigh v Lewes

Saturday 11th September, K.O. 3:00pm

2009/10 - Results
Eastleigh 1-0 Lewes - 14th November 2009 >> Link
Eastleigh 1-1 Lewes - 21st November 2009 (FA Trophy) >> Link

Lewes 1-0 Eastleigh - 25th November 2009 (FA Trophy - Replay) >> Link

Lewes 1-2 Eastleigh - 3rd March 2010 >> Link

EASTLEIGH:

By Wendy Gee -

EASTLEIGH boss Ian Baird has a big decision to make ahead of tomorrow's home game against Lewes - does he bring Warren Goodhind back in after suspension or stick with the side that triumphed 1-0 at Dover?

Come next Saturday his defensive dilemma will be even greater for the trip to Braintree with ex-Saint Luke Byles due to fly into the country from Australia next week.

With left-back Byles in the side, Eastleigh enjoyed their best ever season in the Blue Square Bet South in 2008/09, finishing in an all-time high of third.

Last term they fell away to 11th while Byles was playing on the other side of the world for Melbourne-based Heidelberg United of the Victorian Premier League.

Such is the 26-year-old's value to the side that manager Ian Baird began the groundwork to get him back five months ago.

"I made moves to try and get Bylesy to commit to us in April," he revealed.

"I asked him then what he was doing for next season and he said he'd either go on to South America with (fellow ex-Saint) Phil Warner or, if it was worth his while, he'd come back to England. He said the only club he'd play for was Eastleigh and we did a deal with him in 48 hours.

"So he's been in our budget plans for this season as far back as April."

Given that Byles is not always Mr Reliable when it comes to time-keeping, Eastleigh have made his travel plans for him.

"I've booked his flight and, hopefully, he should be back in the country on Tuesday (Sept 14)," confirmed director of football Dave Malone.

"We've received international clearance for him and, with a bit of luck, he'll be a big, big plus for us. Bylesy leads a bit of a riotous lifestyle from time to time, but he manages to keep himself fit."

Byles's homecoming could not have been timed better. It coincides with galling news that Brett Poate, the player brought in to replace him, is out long-term with a broken arm.

"It's not as straightforward as we thought," said Baird.

"Brett's actually broken his arm in three places and the worst-case scenario is that he could be out for the rest of the season. He had it operated on last week and it's been plated and screwed. It could be a long process."

Eastleigh were last night due to hold talks with midfield playmaker Will Hendry who has intimated he would like to sign a contract at the Silverlake - despite being the subject of an approach by his old club Hayes & Yeading.

And next week they will begin negotiations with AFC Totton over the future of striker Brett Williams, whose initial month's loan ends on Thursday.

Of Eastleigh's long-term injured, midfielder Anthony Riviere and goalkeeper Jason Matthews could be back in two to three weeks. Shaun McAuley has started jogging but is still weeks away from a comeback, while Peter Adeniyi hopes to be playing again by the end of October.

Staforde Palmer was due a scan this week and fellow frontman Richard Gillespie, who played in discomfort at Dover, has seen a specialist about his ankle.

Eastleigh's Dover win lifted them to seventh in the table.

But lowly Lewes knocked them out of the FA Trophy last term and Baird warned: "As we found to our cost, they are a very dangerous side."

Last two results:

Mon 30th August - Havant & Waterlooville (A) BSBS Drew 2-2 >>http://eastleighfc.blogspot.com/2010/08/all-square-in-entertaining-derby-havant.html 

Sat 4th September - Dover (A) BSBS Won 1-0 >>http://eastleighfc.blogspot.com/2010/09/in-form-slabber-helps-spitfires-defeat.html

Next two fixtures:

Sat 18th September - Braintree Town (A) Blue Square Bet South

Sat 2nd October - Basingstoke Town (H) Blue Square Bet South

How the Spitfires lined up last time:

Dover vs EASTLEIGH - 04/09/2010 Blue Square Bet South (A). Won 1-0.

Barfoot, Smith, Bottomley, Brown, Jordan (c), Holland, Williams (Mason 80), Hendry, Slabber, Gillespie, Graham. Subs (not used): - Robinson, Toomer, Collins, Easton.

LEWES:

Last two results:
Mon 30th August - Welling United (A) Blue Square Bet South Lost 2-1
Sat 4th September - Hampton & Richmond (H) Blue Square Bet South  Lost 2-1

Next two fixtures:
Sat 18th September - Chelmsford City (H) Blue Square Bet South
Sat 2nd October - Farnborough Town (A) Blue Square Bet South