High Five - Eastleigh cruise to sensational away win at Weymouth

WEYMOUTH 0-5 EASTLEIGH



TUESDAY 11th AUGUST 2009
Blue Square South

Report by Ray Murphy

Three goals in the final six minutes of the first half turned a somewhat non descript opening period into a commanding Eastleigh performance.

Former Weymouth goalkeeper Jason Matthews just passed a late fitness test to be able to turn out against his previous club whilst Eastleigh also fielded other ex-Weymouth players in Steve Clark and Tony Taggart with Trevor Challis amongst the substitutes. Weymouth for their part had former Eastleigh skipper Andy Harris in their midfield.

Neither goalkeeper was seriously tested until the latter stages of the half, Matthews spent a lot of time fielding back passes from his own defenders thus forcing him to kick up field but in general, both defences were in control of a drab affair.

The first attempt on goal did not arrive until midway through the half with Brett Poate's cross being headed just over the bar by Shaun McAuley. Taggart started causing the home defence concerns when starting his mazy runs - from one of these the ball fell for McAuley who did not have the time to steady himself and shot wildly over.

Danny Smith who was the victim of a head wound that required some twenty stitches on his last visit to Weymouth with Eastleigh, drew blood again after a clash with Harris, the cut this time needing gluing at the hospital after the fixture. Smith was invigorated even more netting twice for Eastleigh as the interval approached.

On thirty-nine minutes Andy Forbes chased a seemingly lost cause following a long clearance from the Eastleigh defence. Forbes' pace caught him the ball which he laid back to McAuley who slipped the ball into the path of the on-rushing Smith who shrugged his way past two defenders before shooting past the advancing Weymouth goalkeeper Ryan Harrison to put Eastleigh ahead.

Five minutes later a misplaced pass in the middle of the park by Matt Townley fell invitingly for McAuley. McAuley moved forward some twenty five yards before firing a low shot down past the diving right hand of Harrison to nestle in the corner of the net for Eastleigh’s second.

A somewhat stunned Weymouth rearguard were breached again a minute later. Peter Adeniyi, Brett Williams both combined on the edge of the area the ball finally arriving for Smith to power a shot that took a deflection off a Weymouth defender wrong footing Harrison and Eastleigh were three goals ahead.

Smith returned for the second period with his head bandaged ala John Wile style. Weymouth made a spirited start to the second period Matt Slocombe was off balance and could only shoot wide three minutes into the period but any thoughts of a comeback were severely dented on fifty-two minutes with Eastleigh scoring their fourth goal. Forbes in behind the Weymouth defence, allowed his strength and pace to ward off Harrison before slipping the ball home.

Matthews had his only real concerning save of the evening two minutes later getting down to deny a shot from Danny Bennett but the evening belonged to Eastleigh. Substitute Richard Gillespie went close twice, before Eastleigh added their fifth goal in the first minute of stoppage time. Gillespie was the provider - his shot squirming across the face of goal allowing Ian Oliver to have the easiest of tasks of rolling the ball into an empty net.