Eastleigh knocked out of FA Trophy

EASTLEIGH v HAYES & YEADING UNITED
Saturday 10th November 2012

FA Trophy

Match Report by Jamie Montigue

It wasn't the type of Eastleigh performance that we have enjoyed from the Spitfires over recent weeks that had seen five successive home league wins and a Hampshire Senior Cup win. Hayes & Yeading United brought this impressive run to an emphatic close with a convincing 4-1 victory in the FA Trophy.

Today's opponents were one of the sides that Eastleigh had beaten in the aforementioned run of home wins, when Richard Hill oversaw a 3-1 league victory with two goals from Jai Reason and a Glen Southam strike on that occasion.

Osei Sankofa, Mark Hughes, Damian Scannell, and Craig McAllister all made way from the starting line up that beat Sutton United by a solitary goal last weekend. Their replacements were found in the shape of Andy Forbes, Jamie Hand, Dale Binns and Lee Peacock. It was a debut for Hand who joined the club on loan this week from Mansfield Town, whilst striker Peacock was making his first appearance of the season after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

The game got under way after a well observed minutes silence in honour of Remembrance Day. The first chance of the game saw Moses Ademola set up Glen Southam in the sixth minute. The captain's shot to the right of the penalty area was blocked and cleared by the Hayes & Yeading defence.

Four minutes later, Eastleigh looked to work an opening with Southam chipping a pass into Jai Reason who knocked down the ball into the path of Peacock. The vastly experienced striker was in the right place in the six-yard box but scuffed his shot into the ground and watched the ball go wide.

With just fifteen minutes played Hayes & Yeading were forced into an early change due to injury with Tobi Joseph coming on for Alassane N’Diaye. Joseph went on to have an exceptional game for the visitors and was a constant threat to the Eastleigh back line.

When Eastleigh thought they had breached the defence of Hayes & Yeading from a measured pass by Reason to set Peacock through on goal, the flag went up for what looked a tight offside decision.

United were coming into the game more and more with the threat of Joseph amongst others looking to put the Spitfires under pressure. Jerome Anderson, another flair player who had a strong game as a wide midfielder, got the better of Tom Jordan before John Goddard fired a shot goal wards, where Andy Forbes stood firm to block.

In the 28th minute a fine cross from Reason out on the left hand side had to be punched away under pressure from goalkeeper Brandon Hall. It didn't remain goalless much longer however, as the deadlock was broken just a minute later and it was the visitors who took the lead.

JOHN GODDARD was on hand to tap into the net at the far post after Daniel Wishart's approach play saw him past Forbes and into the penalty area where he delivered an inviting cross.

The visitors almost doubled their lead immediately as a shot from Goddard squirmed out of the grasp of Flitney, who then had to get down to block a close range effort and divert the ball over his own goal.

Eastleigh were looking vulnerable at this point and it soon got worse for them as they fell further behind. JEROME ANDERSON fired home in the 36th minute after excellent work by Tobi Joseph, who had beaten Jordan and attacked the space down the left. His persistence and direct running led to the ball falling to the feet of Anderson who made no mistake with the finish - lashing the ball past the helpless Flitney from just inside the penalty area.

Eastleigh tried to carve open the visitors' defence in reply to falling two goals behind, with an intricate passing move down the right, but on this occasion the ball didn’t fall kindly in the six-yard box or lead to an attempt on goal.

A tame header from Dale Binns was saved comfortably, meanwhile Joseph continued to cause problems with the powerhouse displaying strength and pace that proved hard to defend against.

Eastleigh hit back just before the break with a goal from LEE PEACOCK. Binns and Reason were involved in the buildup for the hosts and Peacock provided the finish to beat the keeper with a clinical, low strike from 18 yards. Reducing the deficit at a good time, it could have provided a way back into the tie. It was pleasing to see Peacock back in action after a long time out and to cap it with a good goal was all the better.

Instead of ending the half on the positive of scoring, Eastleigh saw Tom Jordan withdraw from the action after a bad challenge by Mark Bentley. Bentley was punished with a yellow card whilst Jordan had to be helped off the pitch and driven to hospital to have stitches in his leg as a result of the foul. Tom was replaced by fellow defender Leigh Mills.

HALF TIME: Eastleigh 1-2 Hayes & Yeading United

In to the second half, Daniel Wishart had a good opportunity to score from a free header in the 50th minute.

The Spitfires' hopes of progressing further in the FA Trophy took another setback when TOBI JOSEPH grabbed a deserved goal that his individual performance merited as he was played through. Joseph left defenders in his shadow as he raced clear in to the area and shot through the legs of Ross Flitney to fire Hayes & Yeading into a 3-1 lead.

Wishart found himself in behind the Eastleigh defence before Mitchell Nelson managed to get back and recover the situation with a timely challenge. On this display it was evident that Hayes & Yeading had set their stall out to attack in this cup tie and go all out for the win.

Jamie Hand won the ball high up the pitch for Eastleigh where it then fell kindly for Dale Binns to line up a shot but the effort was high and wide of the target by some distance.

Richard Hill made a double substitution just past the hour mark, looking for fresh attacking options with his side two goals down. Damian Scannell and Craig McAllister were sent on for Michael Green and Lee Peacock in a tactical switch that saw more bodies thrown forward with Dale Binns having to drop in to cover the left back position.

With Eastleigh throwing caution to the wind, Hayes & Yeading sensed they may be able to go on and kill the game off with a counter attack as the Spitifres looked short of numbers defensively.

Wishart nearly found a way through but Flitney came off his line to scramble the ball away, shortly after Sam Cox fired a shot wide of the post.

Unfortunately for Eastleigh, it continued to be one-way traffic for the most part as John Goddard showed great skill and control twisting left and right past Nelson before seeing his effort saved in the 69th minute.

Wishart hit a free kick straight into Eastleigh wall and then in the 77th minute, full back Yassin Monteiro found acres of space out on the right where he was able to cross dangerously into the box. Flitney was on hand to get two strong fists to the ball to avert the danger temporarily.

Eastleigh couldn't muster any clear cut chance and when they did find a half chance to shoot from Binns' pass in to Moses Ademola, it resulted in a tame effort which was easily saved.

With eight minutes of normal time remaining, the tie was put well and truly out of Eastleigh's reach as Hayes & Yeading scored a fourth. DANIEL WISHART found the top right-hand corner of goal with the best goal of the game as his stunning strike left Flitney rooted to the spot.

There was time for one final attempt from Eastleigh as Scannell turned Cox well before curling a neat shot towards the bottom corner. The effort was parried by Hall and the follow up shot from Glen Southam went behind for a goal kick.

Elliot Legg forced a routine saw out of Flitney with a header from a corner before the action was drawn to a close.

The Spitfires will be disappointed with the performance and result as deserved winners Hayes & Yeading progress further in the FA Trophy leaving Eastleigh to concentrate on the Blue Square Bet South.

FULL TIME: Eastleigh 1-4 Hayes & Yeading United

Eastleigh v Hayes & Yeading - FA Trophy - 10.11.12