Spitfires progress in Trophy to maintain 100% Seagulls record

EASTLEIGH v WESTON-SUPER-MARE



SATURDAY 24th NOVEMBER 2007

FA Challenge Trophy - 3rd Qualifying Round

A depleted Eastleigh squad owing to several injuries, saw the Spitfires put in a strong performance to earn their third victory over the Seagulls this season and with it, a place in the next round of the FA Trophy.

17-year old goalkeeper Ross Kitteridge, who is on loan/work experience from Reading - was the man between the sticks today for his Eastleigh debut following James Pullen’s midweek ankle operation.

Meanwhile, Danny Smith came into the centre of defence as skipper, Fitzroy Simpson made his home debut starring in the centre of midfield alongside the equally brilliant Jamie Brown (back from suspension), who replaced David Hughes.

A bright start from the hosts saw Matt Hann extremely lively early on down the right, whilst Damian Scannell was at his best also with excellent running, skill and hold up play in attack.

Scannell created the first chance of the afternoon to build on excellent approach play, turning Andrew Robertson before chipping the ball into the centre for Forbes whose acrobatic effort flew wide of goal.

It took a combination of both Craig Rand and Robertson to deny the former Fisher Athletic man a moment later, as Scannell worked his way into the penalty area with ease before having his shot well charged down and deflected behind for a corner kick.

After a scuffle between Chris Piper and Aaron Wilson (the referee taking full control of the situation and showing no cards), Eastleigh produced their best move yet in the tenth minute.

Superb interplay from Ian Baird’s men saw the ball worked right from the back down the left hand side with Adam Everitt and Fitzroy Simpson. The attack continued with a delightful touch from Scannell for Anthony Riviere to produce the cross from the flank. Andy Forbes met the ball with a glancing header but was thwarted by a decent save from Ryan Northmere.

Lewis Powell had the first opportunity for the visitors with his turn and shot from the edge of the area to give the youngster Kitteridge his first touch of the afternoon.

Eastleigh’s Anthony Riviere then blazed over the top from his lovely dribble through the middle of the park before Weston-Super-Mare were rewarded a very soft free kick. Powell went down rather easily under a timely, Brown challenge but a foul was given all the same. It did not matter as the captain Craig Loxton fired hopelessly high and wide.

The deadlock was broken in the 23rd minute when FITZROY SIMPSON finished off from close range for his first Eastleigh goal. Chris Piper was instrumental in the goal, as was Scannell. The full back attacked his opponents high up the pitch before Scannell picked up on the loose ball to square and provide Simpson with the simplest of finishes from 6 yards.

A goal down, the Seagulls came close from Aaron Wilson’s left-footed volley on the half-hour that came close to creeping in at Kitteridge’s right-hand post. This coming after a further positive move from Eastleigh with Riviere and Everitt linking to win a free kick narrowly outside the penalty area, only for the ball to fly out of play from Piper’s delivery.

Ben Willshire, the Weston-Super-Mare left back, was given a torrid time having to cope with the electric, Matt Hann and the threatening, Andy Forbes to name just two. Two incidents in the same minute saw Willshire earn himself a yellow card as he simply failed to cope with the danger. First off going straight through Forbes with a late challenge, before hacking down Hann by the corner flag having been beaten for pace.

Eastleigh were still going strong and looking good for their 1-0 lead with ten minutes still to play in the first half. Andy Forbes rose high from Everitt’s excellent delivery from a corner on the right, though the Spitfires’ top marksman was unable to direct his header goalwards.

Ross Kitteridge, who had rarely been troubled in the Eastleigh goal the whole of the first half, was suddenly called upon with a testing header from Lewis Powell as Weston-Super-Mare sprung into life. Back-pedalling the rookie keeper pulled off a splendid save to palm the ball over the top. This save was not only out of the top-drawer but the timing could not have been better in keeping his side in front with minutes before the break.

Just when the visitors were on the up, the Spitfires struck again right on half time. A strong, downward header from Jamie Brown looked destined for goal from a corner kick, but was punched from the goal line in desperation from Northmere.

The ball fell only as far as Scannell and when his cross came back in the ball struck the arm of a yellow shirt and the penalty kick was given.

ANDY FORBES stepped up and made no mistake from 12 yards with a confident strike into the bottom left hand corner to stretch the advantage to two goals.

HALF TIME – Eastleigh 2-0 Weston-Super-Mare

Into the second half, the visitors began at a furious pace. PHILLIP HALL, who had been on the pitch a matter of seconds, made an immediate impact as he found the back of the net with an audacious lob from range that flew into the top corner of the net from a stunning, long range curling effort.

The ball was in the back of the net once more a minute later when Dean Grubb’s cross was bundled home. Eastleigh were handed a let-off as the offside flag ruled out what would have been a crushing blow for the hosts and an equaliser for the Seagull’s.

From this frightful awakening, the Spitfires responded magnificently to again take full command of the cup-tie.

Jamie Brown had a header well saved from an Everitt free kick before our battling midfielder was in the action once more with the next chance of the game.

Anthony Riviere played the ball into Brown who let fly with a stinging piledriver that Northmere could only parry before his defence came to his aid to clear for a corner.

No less than deserved, JAMIE BROWN headed home his second goal of the season from the resulting corner kick. Ironically his last goal came against Weston-Super-Mare in the 3-0 away win. Fitzroy Simpson’s floated ball to the far post was met by a brave header from Brown, which beat the keeper to put daylight between the two sides at 3-1.

Eastleigh in the ascendancy, saw a flurry of chances come there way. Firstly with Damian Scannell’s run and shot from range drifting an inch wide of the upright.

Riviere almost caught out Northmere from the edge of the area on 57 minutes with a delicate chip before a further opportunity came the way of Brown.

Hann and Scannell combined to deadly effect carving an opening for the goalscorer who found himself with just the keeper to beat. It fell to the left foot of Brown but the effort flew comfortably wide.

With seemingly very little on, MATT HANN produced a moment of magic with a sensational strike from an excellent individual effort as he let fly with an unstoppable hit, one that flew past the keeper and into the roof of the net to have Eastleigh coasting at 4-1.

Academy star, Chris Mason was brought on in the 70th minute to replace the brilliant Jamie Brown, and did not look out of place even at the tender age of 16.

It could have been worse for Weston-Super-Mare when Everitt launched a lethal throw-in into the penalty area. Forbes helped the ball on with his header but somehow the ball was scrambled away off the goal line with Scannell unable to turn the ball in, waiting at the back post.

Weston-Super-Mare rallied in the final ten minutes but it was too little too late.

Michael Taylor showed top technique as he brought down a ball into the box with his chest before bringing out the best in Kitteridge with a volley from point blank range.

A moment’s lapse in concentration from Eastleigh cost them a goal as PHILLIP HALL slammed home his second goal of the game from close range, despite Kitteridge getting a hand to the effort.

The game ended with a fine effort from a Mason 25-yarder that produced an equally splendid save out of Northmere who turned the ball around the post.

It was Eastleigh’s day who despite missing several key figures, put in a commanding performance to begin another cup run and as I believe, this is the furthest we have reached in this competition having been knocked out by AFC Wimbledon a year ago. We now have the opportunity to put ourselves to the test against teams from the Blue Square Premier.

FULL TIME: Eastleigh 4-2 Weston-Super-Mare

JAMIE MONTIGUE