Matthews still has big future at Eastleigh

By Wendy Gee -

Eastleigh boss Ian Baird is optimistic goalkeeper Jason Matthews will stay at the Silverlake Stadium – despite overtures from the 35-year-old’s old former club Weymouth.

Matthews has been out of the Spitfires side since making a couple of costly errors in the club’s last defeat, a 4-1 reverse at home to Staines in mid-November.

That opened the door for former AFC Totton ’keeper Gareth Barfoot to reclaim his place and Eastleigh have since enjoyed a fabulous run of 11 league and cup games unbeaten which they will be looking to extend at St Albans City tonight in the Blue Square Bet South.

Fallen Conference giants Weymouth, in deep trouble near the foot of the Zamaretto Premier, are keen to be reunited with Paulton-born Matthews, who made over 200 appearances for the Terras between 2002 and 2008.

But Baird believes the experienced former Exeter City keeper still has a big part to play in the Spitfires’ push for promotion to the Conference National.

“When Weymouth rang me to ask about signing Jason, my immediate thought was ‘no’,” said Baird. “Jason’s a good lad to have around the place, he’s done very, very well for Eastleigh.

“But he’s 35 years old and I had to tell him another club had enquired about him. I told him I didn’t want him to go and Jason said ‘that’s good enough for me’.

“Gareth’s come in and taken his chance really well, he’s been exemplary. At 2-0 up against Dorchester on Saturday, he pulled off another tremendous save.

“But I’m sure Jason will get another opportunity. He’s still got a big future at the club.”

Striker Justin Bennett is likely to be included in Eastleigh’s squad tonight if his three-month loan from Gosport is tied up in time.

“I’ve always liked Justin,”

said Baird. “He left Eastleigh within two days of me arriving here, but I’ve kept an eye on him from afar.

“He’s always been out of our reach money-wise, but I felt the time was right to go in. He is Mr Gosport and he’s com fortable there.

“Whether Gosport have a good, bad or indifferent season he’ll end up with 25 goals.

He needs to test him self at a higher level.”

Having sold Brett Williams to Reading in a deal worth up to £50,000 and having reached the last 16 of the FA Trophy, Eastleigh have given Baird the green light to strengthen his squad.

“Once again the board have been very good and are making a bit of money available,” said Baird.

“With Brett and Jamie White going, we need to bolster the squad. We’ve missed the opportunity (of promotion) in the last couple of years, when everyone else strengthened and we didn’t.

“We could do with bringing one or two in, including a utility player.”