Back to business! Centre backs get the goals and keep clean sheet in much improved Eastleigh performance

EASTLEIGH v BATH CITY



SATURDAY 24th JANUARY 2009
Blue Square South

By Jamie Montigue

Eastleigh got back to business with an important 2-0 win over Bath City, who were second in the form table coming into tonight's Blue Square South fixture. The performance was a dramatic improvement on the weekend's showing as the Spitfires hit back at their critics with the best possible response. They did this by showing a lot more determination, doing the simple things well, taking their chances, as well as the added bonus and rarity of a clean sheet to get back to that wonderful winning feeling.

Ian Baird was forced into changes from Saturday's 3-1 home defeat to Team Bath as he lost two players to injury - skipper Andy Harris and loanee forward Jonny Dixon, who grabbed his first goal for the club late in the game as a consolation at the weekend. Promising young centre back Aaron Martin replaced Neil Sharp at the heart of the defence, whilst Warren Goodhind returned to the starting line up at right back in place of Harris. The third and final change to the starting eleven saw Matt Groves come in for Dixon to partner Jamie Brown in attack.

In only the second minute of the game, Eastleigh signalled their early intent to make amends for the recent disappointing result. Jamie Brown's header looked destined for goal from a Tony Taggart corner but was kept out by the extremely well-placed Richard Evans on the goal line.

Ashley Carew had a fine game and looked far more confident and at ease on the ball as displayed by his direct running, getting at his markers and taking them on.

With ten minutes played, a low ball in from Warren Goodhind was half cleared to the edge of the area which allowed Anthony Riviere to pounce on the loose ball and fire narrowly over the cross bar with his left foot.

Bath's Dave Gilroy chased in a couple of times as City tried to break, but Jason Matthews was always alert and quick to the edge of his box to thwart any potential danger, before the visitors finally had an attempt of note in the fifteenth minute. Chris Holland climbed the highest in a crowded penalty area but couldn't keep his header down.

Three minutes later, Carew continued his excellent contribution to the game with a stinging shot that deserved so much more. Picking the ball up in the middle of the park, the on-loan versatile player had a go from all of 30 yards and came as close as close can be to opening the scoring. Just an inch lower and goalkeeper Steve Perrin would not have stood a chance, such was the power on the shot.

The Barnet loanee was at it again midway through the half, though this time Carew unselfishly fed the ball to his left for Riviere having broken from midfield and quickly turning Eastleigh into attack to create a goal-scoring opportunity. Riviere's shot was blocked as his marker stood up to concede a corner following further positive football from the hosts.

When Bath City did have possession in the final third, they were by and large restricted to shooting from distance where they were in all honesty going to find it hard beating Jason Matthews. In the 27th minute, Evans received the ball wide on the right of midfield, where he cut inside and on to his left foot only to be rushed into a shot that flew comfortably wide of Matthews' far post.

Ten minutes before the break, Eastleigh survived a brief scare as they found themselves on the back foot for the first time in the game for a short moment. Darren Edwards headed the ball into the centre from a parry off of the goalkeeper as Dave Gilroy stole in at the near post and bundled the ball home with a header virtually on the goal line. Thankfully the flag went up for offside to prevent deja vu and the possibility of going through Saturday's script over once more, where they had played fairly well only to get caught out with two quick goals before half time.

The positive early start had dwindled ever so slightly, but was recaptured almost instantly when Carew caught the eye with a wonderful touch to get past Jim Rollo, knocking the ball ahead down the right touch line before dashing past and leaving the City captain for dead. His cross was just as lethal as he sought out Tony Taggart at the back post. Instead Lewis Hogg had got back well to take the ball away from it's intended target but in so doing, had his goalkeeper to thank for saving an own goal. Hogg's header was creeping in at the far post until Perrin, who had to change direction, scrambled across to make an excellent stop and keep the ball out with a vital touch as the scores remained level at half time.

HALF TIME: Eastleigh 0-0 Bath City

Four minutes after the restart, Matt Groves was tugged just outside the penalty area to the right of goal to present Tony Taggart the chance to test the keeper with a free kick. The former Hawk went for power but unfortunately failed to trouble the keeper on this occasion.

Eastleigh kept plugging away trying to dominate proceedings and in the 55th minute stepped the pressure up on Steve Perrin's goal a notch higher. Tom Jordan, who was captain in the absence of Harris, flicked the ball on with a near post header where Groves spun and shot with an instinctive volley from 6 yards forcing a splendid reaction save out of Perrin. As it turned out the flag was up anyway but it showed that the Spitfires were creating the chances in the first place.

It was looking increasingly likely that should anyone score first, it would be Eastleigh as they just saw too much of the ball.

Luke Byles drove forward from full back before feeding the ball through to Groves. The ex-Dorchester Town and Lewes centre forward hit the ball early to test the goalkeeper who did well to keep out the effort albeit that Perrin's momentum in saving the ball low to his right took him beyond the white line to concede a corner kick that ultimately led to the deadlock finally being broken.

Leading the way with a captain's performance, TOM JORDAN popped up to net his third league goal of the season as he stabbed home from close range from Tony Taggart's delivery.

No sooner had Eastleigh taken the lead, they managed to double it within a matter of minutes. Again it was a corner kick, again it was a centre half. A teasing corner from Taggart with a high ball into the box posed a number of problems to Bath City who simply looked vulnerable and could not deal with the corner. The ball hit Matt Groves at the far post as City failed to clear before AARON MARTIN capped a solid performance at centre half with the goal that he deserved, as he found the back of the net for his first ever in the Blue Square South.

Eastleigh came close to a third as Groves held the ball up well from Matthews' long kick up the park before rolling it back to Carew. Taking one touch to get the ball out of his feet, Ashley so nearly caught out the keeper with a delightful curling attempt that had Perrin back-pedalling to tip the ball behind for another corner kick.

Carew was clearly enjoying himself out there tonight as he saw so much more of the ball than he did on Saturday and was able to express himself to the Eastleigh faithful. Running the show, Carew's Brazilian-esque nifty, quick footwork saw him bring the ball forward with purpose before sliding the ball to his right to set Riviere free into the penalty area. Riviere in turn played it to Groves whose weak effort failed to live up to the sublime Eastleigh approach play.

A familiar face, that of Stuart Douglas returned to the Silverlake Stadium once more as he entered the fray for the visitors as a second half substitute. Shortly after, Baird injected fresh legs in the form of Brett Williams to replace Jamie Brown who was whole-hearted as ever never giving the Bath City defence a moment's peace.

Williams wasted little time in making an impression even in the brief time he had on the pitch. The young forward who featured heavily in the Eastleigh reserve side for a couple of seasons before making a switch to first team football at Winchester City, made one particularly fine run down the right that saw his pace beyond the back line and in on goal to force a good save out of the keeper.

There was no let up from a much more organised and professional looking Eastleigh display as they held their own in the closing stages of the game with resolute defending to hold out for a clean sheet.

Indeed Eastleigh may well have had a third goal when Baird's final roll of the dice, Joe Maxwell, was sent through on goal on the counter attack as Matthews punched a free kick clear for Peter Adeniyi to hook the ball down the right with an immaculate pass into the path of Maxwell who took one touch before striking wide of goal.

A win was required to get the club back on track after dropping five points in their last two games, and this was the perfect reply.

FULL TIME: Eastleigh 2–0 Bath City