'Seriously leggy' Eastleigh now facing 'biggest game of the season' - Baird

By Wendy Gee -

IAN Baird has billed tomorrow's home test against Thurrock: "Eastleigh's biggest game of the season so far."

With 'squeaky bum time' fast approaching in the Blue Square Bet South play-off race, Baird's eighth-placed Spitfires cannot afford any further slip-ups after being soundly beaten 3-0 by Farnborough on Tuesday.

Despite that set-back they are just three points behind fifth-placed Woking with a game in hand and still have everything to play for.

"I was extremely disappointed with our performance on Tuesday but, take nothing away from Farnborough, they were outstanding," said Baird.

"Some of our players looked seriously leggy and the pressure we've put on ourselves to keep winning and stay in the pack takes it's toll.

"But the positive from the negative is that we're still in the hunt and this is a quick opportunity to put things right."

Eastleigh were going great guns when they visited Thurrock in late January but, having taken an early lead through Jamie Slabber, they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat.

It ended a hot sequence of six straight league wins and a 12-match unbeaten for the Spitfires in all competitions.

Thurrock were themselves in decent form at the time but, curiously, they went the next ten games without a win, putting their Conference South status in jeopardy.

But the Fleet have rallied of late, winning two of their last three games, and have signed a proven match-winner in Lee Boylan who gunned down Weston-super-Mare with a hat-trick last Saturday.

"We went ahead at Thurrock and then let them off the hook, so we need to exact retribution tomorrow," said Baird. "But we know they're not going to come here and lie down.

"They signed Boylan from Chelmsford on transfer deadline day and he'll have to be watched. We know all about his pedigree with Canvey Island and so on.

"We've got to make sure we turn up tomorrow because we certainly didn't on Tuesday."

If Eastleigh's form is anything to go by, there should be no lack of goals.

In their last five league games they have scored 12 and conceded 12, winning two - including last Saturday's 5-0 battering of Staines - and losing three.

"The stats don't tell the whole story, but we didn't deserve anything against Farnborough," said Baird, who is baffled by his side's lack of consistency.

"All I know is that we've got a good set of characters here who do bounce back. There's all to play for and we'll be judged on where we are come the end of the season."

Luke Byles (bad back) and Tony Taggart (calf) are injury doubts, but fit-again Brett Poate may return to the squad.

Eastleigh's run-in

April

9 Thurrock (home)

12 Maidenhead (away)

16 Ebbsfleet (home)

23 Boreham Wood (away)

25 Hampton (home, 1pm)

30 Bromley (away)