Lewes 1-4 Eastleigh - Five successive wins for the Spitfires
LEWES v EASTLEIGH
SATURDAY 8th JANUARY 2011
Blue Square Bet South
Report by Ray Murphy
Eastleigh coasted to their fourth successive league victory over relegation threatened Lewes at the Dripping Pan Ground. Eastleigh may well have added more to their tally in a side that saw manager Ian Baird enforced to make his first change to the starting line up for those four games. Luke Byles was missing with a hamstring injury on his twenty-seventh birthday, Warren Goodhind having to fulfil his unaccustomed role of left back. Richard Gillespie also passed a fitness test before the game and was selected for a role on the substitutes bench which had a strange look about it when you consider that with Gillespie and Jamie Slabber that is the clubs two leading scorers on the bench, whilst both Jamie White and Shaun McAuley can comfortably fill any striking role. Such is the way the small squad has moulded over the past few weeks. Ross Bottomley also passed a late test to be able to retain the right back berth.
The early exchanges did not give the impression that the victory would have been as significant. Admittedly Brett Williams broke through onto Tony Taggart’s pass in the ninth minute and with only the goalkeeper Chris Winterton to best, arguably Williams could have done better to bury a shot past the advancing keeper. It was Lewes though with debutant left winger Ishmael Welsh, signed from Grays Athletic but previously with West Ham and Yeovil Town, who was causing concern on the flank with some well delivered balls into the area. The eager running Tom Murphy also proved a willing pacy striker but too often being unable to hold his run to be thwarted by the assistant referee's flag for offside. Welsh’s cross in the eleventh minute whipped across the face of the Eastleigh goal with Ben Godfrey unable to add a finishing touch. Two minutes later Winterton saved a Chris Holland header from a Goodhind free kick. Lewes were always looking for a quick break from defence after being under pressure for periods and from one such break on twenty minutes another delivery from Welsh was headed just over by Godfrey.
Bottomley’s long throw on twenty-three minutes was only partially cleared by the Lewes defence but Taggart's half volley was just off target. Four minutes later Richard Graham dispossessed Lewes skipper Anthony Barness who was trying to play the ball out of defence allowing Graham a run on goal. Winterton came off his line and Graham only managed to angle a shot wide of the post. Eastleigh deservedly took the lead though on thirty minutes. Williams was fouled midway into the Lewes half but referee Colin Lymer played an advantage that saw Graham cross from the left, which was met with a header at the near post by Danny Smith to notch his first league goal of the season.
On thirty-eight minutes, Lewes defender Nathan Green was relieved to see a header in an attempt to clear his line just go wide for an Eastleigh corner when trying to defend a free kick. But the respite was not for long as a second goal was added in the fortieth minute. Again not being able to clear a set piece situation - this time a Taggart free kick, the ball finally fell invitingly for Williams to fire home.
With the Lewes defence in compete disarray in the third minute of first half stoppage time there was an unbelievable passage of play. Williams saw a shot hit the post after Peter Adeniyi and Graham had combined to create an opening; then with the ball still not being cleared another chance arrived for Williams whose back heel was cleared off the Lewes line as the home side were relieved to hear the half time whistle from the referee. The home crowd made their feelings felt to their own players as they left for the interval.
The start of the second half saw a very nervous looking Lewes side who did change one of their centre backs, John Scarborough, at the interval, but Eastleigh were eager for more goals. Five minutes into the second period Tom Jordan ghosted a header from Bottomley’s cross just wide. Three minutes later Jordan’s centre back partner Holland saw a header form a Graham corner saved by Winterton. On fifty-five minutes another Bottomley free kick was chested down by Jordan, this time Anthony Riviere shot wide.
The third goal finally arrived on fifty-six minutes. A long throw from Goodhind, was flicked on by Holland and Taggart slid in at the far post to apply a finishing touch. Five minutes later from Adeniyi’s cross somehow Lewes kept out an attempt from Graham but the ball still found its was into the back of the net from Williams although with the help of a deflection off Chris Breach, but not enough to stop the striker claiming his fourth goal in two games.
Lewes then joined the scoreline on sixty-four minutes. Graham was caught in possession trying to skip in between two defenders on the half way line. Lewes broke with Barness slipping the ball in for Murphy who took the ball on, taking it around Gareth Barfoot before shooting into an empty net.
The goal actually settled the home side down as the game ebbed to a close with Eastleigh never in danger of losing the game. Green had a shot wide for the home side whilst Breach headed a David Wheeler free kick back across the face of goal but just wide. Holland drove a shot wide as Lewes kept up with their dismal defending at set pieces for the whole of the game. An overall good performance from Eastleigh as they edge to a point within the leagues play off places and make it five consecutive wins in all competitions.
The early exchanges did not give the impression that the victory would have been as significant. Admittedly Brett Williams broke through onto Tony Taggart’s pass in the ninth minute and with only the goalkeeper Chris Winterton to best, arguably Williams could have done better to bury a shot past the advancing keeper. It was Lewes though with debutant left winger Ishmael Welsh, signed from Grays Athletic but previously with West Ham and Yeovil Town, who was causing concern on the flank with some well delivered balls into the area. The eager running Tom Murphy also proved a willing pacy striker but too often being unable to hold his run to be thwarted by the assistant referee's flag for offside. Welsh’s cross in the eleventh minute whipped across the face of the Eastleigh goal with Ben Godfrey unable to add a finishing touch. Two minutes later Winterton saved a Chris Holland header from a Goodhind free kick. Lewes were always looking for a quick break from defence after being under pressure for periods and from one such break on twenty minutes another delivery from Welsh was headed just over by Godfrey.
Bottomley’s long throw on twenty-three minutes was only partially cleared by the Lewes defence but Taggart's half volley was just off target. Four minutes later Richard Graham dispossessed Lewes skipper Anthony Barness who was trying to play the ball out of defence allowing Graham a run on goal. Winterton came off his line and Graham only managed to angle a shot wide of the post. Eastleigh deservedly took the lead though on thirty minutes. Williams was fouled midway into the Lewes half but referee Colin Lymer played an advantage that saw Graham cross from the left, which was met with a header at the near post by Danny Smith to notch his first league goal of the season.
On thirty-eight minutes, Lewes defender Nathan Green was relieved to see a header in an attempt to clear his line just go wide for an Eastleigh corner when trying to defend a free kick. But the respite was not for long as a second goal was added in the fortieth minute. Again not being able to clear a set piece situation - this time a Taggart free kick, the ball finally fell invitingly for Williams to fire home.
With the Lewes defence in compete disarray in the third minute of first half stoppage time there was an unbelievable passage of play. Williams saw a shot hit the post after Peter Adeniyi and Graham had combined to create an opening; then with the ball still not being cleared another chance arrived for Williams whose back heel was cleared off the Lewes line as the home side were relieved to hear the half time whistle from the referee. The home crowd made their feelings felt to their own players as they left for the interval.
The start of the second half saw a very nervous looking Lewes side who did change one of their centre backs, John Scarborough, at the interval, but Eastleigh were eager for more goals. Five minutes into the second period Tom Jordan ghosted a header from Bottomley’s cross just wide. Three minutes later Jordan’s centre back partner Holland saw a header form a Graham corner saved by Winterton. On fifty-five minutes another Bottomley free kick was chested down by Jordan, this time Anthony Riviere shot wide.
The third goal finally arrived on fifty-six minutes. A long throw from Goodhind, was flicked on by Holland and Taggart slid in at the far post to apply a finishing touch. Five minutes later from Adeniyi’s cross somehow Lewes kept out an attempt from Graham but the ball still found its was into the back of the net from Williams although with the help of a deflection off Chris Breach, but not enough to stop the striker claiming his fourth goal in two games.
Lewes then joined the scoreline on sixty-four minutes. Graham was caught in possession trying to skip in between two defenders on the half way line. Lewes broke with Barness slipping the ball in for Murphy who took the ball on, taking it around Gareth Barfoot before shooting into an empty net.
The goal actually settled the home side down as the game ebbed to a close with Eastleigh never in danger of losing the game. Green had a shot wide for the home side whilst Breach headed a David Wheeler free kick back across the face of goal but just wide. Holland drove a shot wide as Lewes kept up with their dismal defending at set pieces for the whole of the game. An overall good performance from Eastleigh as they edge to a point within the leagues play off places and make it five consecutive wins in all competitions.
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