Bubb spot on for Spitfires

By Wendy Gee - 

TWO late Bradley Bubb penalties salvaged Eastleigh a 2-2 draw at Staines Town on Tuesday night, stretching their unbeaten Blue Square Bet South run to four games.

It looked like it might be curtains for Ian Baird's men when David Wheeler fired the Swans into a 22nd-minute lead and ex-Spitfires loanee Mark Nwokeji doubled the hosts' advantage 11 minutes after the break.

But Eastleigh upped their game in the last 20 minute and were rewarded when Bubb twice beat keeper Rhys Evans from 12 yards in the 76th and 81st minutes.

On both occasions it was Damian Scannell who was fouled, first by Wheeler and then Evans.

The Spitfires could have gone one better and actually won the game, but skipper Tom Jordan blazed a late header over from Daryl McMahon's cross.

"For 70 minutes we played very poorly from one to eleven when we had possession, which was disappointing," admitted Eastleigh boss Ian Baird.

"We kept giving the ball away and Staines kept breaking on us.

"But credit where credit's due, we changed to a 3-4-3, justifiably got two penalties and we could have won it in the end.

"Tom Jordan missed a sitter and, by his own high standards, he'll be disappointed with that.

"But psychologically it's a good point for us. We showed good character to come back and it's another game undefeated."

Staines had started the evening second to bottom, but Baird said: "I'm surprised at that. They've got some very good players and they had a game plan which worked to perfection. They set up 3-5-2, but actually played five at the back.

"People have seen who we've signed and we've got to deal better with the mindset of teams who think 'hang on, we'll apporach this differently now'."