FOUR-midable Eastleigh defeat Sutton
SUTTON UNITED v EASTLEIGH
TUESDAY 14th DECEMBER 2010
Report by Ray Murphy
The drama of this FA Challenge Trophy First Round Replay started long before the prospects of a frozen pitch were brought into the equation with the Eastleigh playing ranks down to the bare minimum. There was even a request to the FA if there was a possibility of the game being postponed owing to the nature of some of the ailments. With Brett Poate still on the longer term injured list, Richard Gillespie and Warren Goodhind joined the walking wounded. In addition to that Luke Byles was absent with a viral infection that had made Tom Jordan pull out of Saturday's original tie less than thirty minutes before the kick off. Jordan’s central defensive partner Chris Holland was also struck with the virus, but both eventually declared themselves fit to play, whilst Richard Graham is also recovering from the infection. This led to call up for the reserves for Joe Crook, Liam Robinson and Sam Wilson to take their places on the substitutes bench.
Paul Doswell's Sutton United were also facing selection problems with central defender Simon Downer ruled out through injury, which saw former Eastleigh favourite Andy Forbes take on the role, one which Eastleigh supporters know he can fill so adequately - though an introduction to the home fans. Richard Jolly who had appeared as a substitute on Saturday took the front-runners role while another previous thorn in Eastleigh’s flesh Fola Orilonishe formerly of Thurrock took up a winger’s role in place of Tom Kavanagh. Sutton this time had problems in the pre-match warm up where substitute Steve McKimm was injured and had to be replaced minutes before the game started.
Manager Ian Baird also switched his system reverting to his normal 4 4 2 formation that had been changed for the previous two matches. Brett Williams returned to the side to partner Jamie Slabber up front with Danny Smith reverting to right back and Ross Bottomley switching to left back. All this against a side that had only lost four games so far this season, only one at home although that was against Alton Town in the F A Cup.
The opening half saw both sides probing at each others defences without really penetrating. Orilonishe drove a shot in the eleventh minute, which was well saved by Gareth Barfoot, but neither goalkeeper were troubled. On the half hour Tom Davis fed the ball to Kenny Adjei and the midfielder shot from long range but the effort had very little power behind it. Three minutes later a free kick from the left foot of Darren Ebsworth produced another stop by Barfoot.
The game was eventually starting to open up slightly and Eastleigh netted with their first attempt on goal as such. With thirty-six minutes played Williams chased after a ball played through the Sutton defence. Sutton goalkeeper Kevin Scriven was quickly off his line to thwart Williams, the ball breaking loose for Slabber who saw his effort deflected to skim the bar and away for a corner. From the resultant Graham corner, Holland headed home the opening goal.
Five minutes into the second period Eastleigh added a second. Bradley Woods-Garness lost his footing in the middle of the park, which allowed Tony Taggart to breakaway with the ball. Taggart ran some twenty yards before slipping the ball into the path of Slabber who drove the ball home through the narrowest of gaps in-between Scriven and his post.
Eastleigh were now in total command of the game. Woods-Garness shot a free kick high and wide of the target then a Sutton substitution saw ex-Eastleigh midfielder Karl Murray come into the action at full back allowing another former Spitfire defender Karim El Salahi to revert across to centre back thus releasing Forbes back to his normal strikers role.
On the hour though it was Williams the provider allowing Anthony Riviere to add Eastleigh's goal number three. Ebsworth saw another free kick saved by Barfoot but it was Eastleigh who were now searching for more goals. Williams saw a low shot saved by Scriven on sixty-four minutes, three minutes later the hard work of Williams created a chance for Taggart but his shot was too high.
Williams saw another effort just wide on seventy-three minutes, though two minutes later Sutton substitute Tom Kavanagh saw his effort blocked by Bottomley.
With six minutes of normal time remaining arguably the goal of the evening. Peter Adeniyi started the move feeding Graham. Graham laid the ball across for Williams, Williams set up Slabber who rolled the ball into the path of Taggart who fired a left foot drive beyond the rooted Scriven into the top right hand corner of the keepers net from the edge of the area.
Barfoot had to be alert in stoppage time to keep his clean sheet for the evening with an excellent stop from the looping header of Woods-Garness.
Eastleigh now entertain Worcester City in the Second Round on Saturday 15th January.
Paul Doswell's Sutton United were also facing selection problems with central defender Simon Downer ruled out through injury, which saw former Eastleigh favourite Andy Forbes take on the role, one which Eastleigh supporters know he can fill so adequately - though an introduction to the home fans. Richard Jolly who had appeared as a substitute on Saturday took the front-runners role while another previous thorn in Eastleigh’s flesh Fola Orilonishe formerly of Thurrock took up a winger’s role in place of Tom Kavanagh. Sutton this time had problems in the pre-match warm up where substitute Steve McKimm was injured and had to be replaced minutes before the game started.
Manager Ian Baird also switched his system reverting to his normal 4 4 2 formation that had been changed for the previous two matches. Brett Williams returned to the side to partner Jamie Slabber up front with Danny Smith reverting to right back and Ross Bottomley switching to left back. All this against a side that had only lost four games so far this season, only one at home although that was against Alton Town in the F A Cup.
The opening half saw both sides probing at each others defences without really penetrating. Orilonishe drove a shot in the eleventh minute, which was well saved by Gareth Barfoot, but neither goalkeeper were troubled. On the half hour Tom Davis fed the ball to Kenny Adjei and the midfielder shot from long range but the effort had very little power behind it. Three minutes later a free kick from the left foot of Darren Ebsworth produced another stop by Barfoot.
The game was eventually starting to open up slightly and Eastleigh netted with their first attempt on goal as such. With thirty-six minutes played Williams chased after a ball played through the Sutton defence. Sutton goalkeeper Kevin Scriven was quickly off his line to thwart Williams, the ball breaking loose for Slabber who saw his effort deflected to skim the bar and away for a corner. From the resultant Graham corner, Holland headed home the opening goal.
Five minutes into the second period Eastleigh added a second. Bradley Woods-Garness lost his footing in the middle of the park, which allowed Tony Taggart to breakaway with the ball. Taggart ran some twenty yards before slipping the ball into the path of Slabber who drove the ball home through the narrowest of gaps in-between Scriven and his post.
Eastleigh were now in total command of the game. Woods-Garness shot a free kick high and wide of the target then a Sutton substitution saw ex-Eastleigh midfielder Karl Murray come into the action at full back allowing another former Spitfire defender Karim El Salahi to revert across to centre back thus releasing Forbes back to his normal strikers role.
On the hour though it was Williams the provider allowing Anthony Riviere to add Eastleigh's goal number three. Ebsworth saw another free kick saved by Barfoot but it was Eastleigh who were now searching for more goals. Williams saw a low shot saved by Scriven on sixty-four minutes, three minutes later the hard work of Williams created a chance for Taggart but his shot was too high.
Williams saw another effort just wide on seventy-three minutes, though two minutes later Sutton substitute Tom Kavanagh saw his effort blocked by Bottomley.
With six minutes of normal time remaining arguably the goal of the evening. Peter Adeniyi started the move feeding Graham. Graham laid the ball across for Williams, Williams set up Slabber who rolled the ball into the path of Taggart who fired a left foot drive beyond the rooted Scriven into the top right hand corner of the keepers net from the edge of the area.
Barfoot had to be alert in stoppage time to keep his clean sheet for the evening with an excellent stop from the looping header of Woods-Garness.
Eastleigh now entertain Worcester City in the Second Round on Saturday 15th January.
Comments
Post a Comment