Eastleigh FC

WORCESTER v EASTLEIGH SATURDAY 24th APRIL 2010 Blue Square South Report by Ray Murphy This was an end of season game that had everything on it for Worcester City and nothing in reality for Eastleigh. Worcester City had to win and hope that fellow strugglers Lewes lost for them to avoid relegation. Eastleigh themselves with no positioning to play for were without the suspended Jason Matthews, Tom Jordan and Tony Taggart whilst Jamie Brown, Andy Forbes and Aaron Cook were all absent through injury. It started brightly for Eastleigh. Brett Poate's pass into the path of Richard Gillespie in the penalty area saw Worcester goalkeeper Jake Meredith off his line but he caught Gillespie and referee Brett Huxtable awarded a penalty. Gillespie recovered from the clash to convert the penalty. Five minutes later and the scorers all round were equal. Worcester's Matt Birley was adjudged to have been fouled by Ross Bottomley and the second penalty of the game was awarded. This tim

EASTLEIGH v BISHOPS STORTFORD SATURDAY 17th APRIL 2010 Blue Square South Report by Jamie Montigue Before the game began, Chairman Paul Murray announced some excellent news that Jason Matthews, Tom Jordan, Peter Adeniyi and Anthony Riviere have all signed on for next season. Richard Gillespie, this season’s top goal scorer, had a year to run on his contract anyway but has recently extended this to the next two years. Eastleigh's final home game of the season saw the Spitfires take on Bishops Stortford in their penultimate fixture of the campaign. Eastleigh were looking for their third successive win after victories over Welling and Dorchester in the past week. Manager Ian Baird looked to give some of the clubs youngsters a taste of Blue Square South football by handing young goalkeeper Fred Toomer his first team debut to start in place of Jason Matthews. Eastleigh also named reserve striker Alex Easton in the starting eleven who played alongside Richard Gillespie in attack. Meanw

Ian Baird has begun the process of building his squad for next season having missed out on reaching the play-offs for what would have been the second season running. Part of that has included looking at who from the current squad want to stay on at the Silverlake next term, when they will be aiming to launch another play-off push. Baird is aware that some of his key men have been “tapped up” already and also accepts that a number of his squad could command bigger wages. “At this moment in time I know who I want to keep,” he said. “I have approached three or four of the players and I am waiting on answers back from them. “I know those players would be able to get deals from clubs offering more money or clubs that are higher up, better geographically and unfortunately there is no such thing as loyalty in the game. “Some probably think they can play higher. Some may be approached by higher clubs. “But some may want to stay here and I would to think we have unfinished business and I

EASTLEIGH v DORCHESTER TOWN WEDNESDAY 14th APRIL 2010 Blue Square South Report by Jamie Montigue Eastleigh recorded an overdue win at the Silverlake Stadium to end a run of six games without a victory at home. Tonight’s success also meant it was back to back wins for the Spitfires for the first time since the end of February/beginning of March, to build on Saturday’s 2-1 away success at Welling United. Ian Baird made just two changes to the side that beat the Wings at the weekend with Danny Smith coming in for Warren Goodhind at right back and Sam Butler replacing Shaun McAuley in the starting line up. Neil Sharp started his second consecutive game having bravely battled illness, a year on since being diagnosed with cancer. His evening unfortunately ended prematurely with a hamstring strain/injury midway through the first half. The first chance of the game fell to the visitors on five minutes as Steve Devlin cut inside from the left and saw his dipping shot flash narrowly over Jason

Adrian Kajumba of the Daily Echo interviewed manager Ian Baird recently where the Spitfires’ boss reflected on the season and why he thinks things haven’t quite gone to plan this time round. Kajumba wrote: At the outset, the Spitfires had high hopes of bettering last term when their campaign was cruelly cut short in the Blue Square South play-off semi finals. A number of factors, some self-inflicted, have since combined to dramatic and disastrous effect for Eastleigh. And the Spitfires conceded that their play-off hopes are over following back to back defeats over the Easter weekend against Dover and Woking. Baird said: “It’s been a week of reflection. “We realized that we have blown the opportunity of getting in the play-offs. “And we have been looking as a management team at what we could have done better, the facts of the season, what targets we have got for next season, what players we try and keep, what budget we are going to have and are we going to be competitive. “Overal

WELLING UNITED v  EASTLEIGH   SATURDAY 10th APRIL 2010 Blue Square South Report by Ray Murphy Video Highlights  Eastleigh brought their recent disappointing run of form of one draw and five defeats from their previous six matches to a conclusion with this victory over Welling United, who themselves still had a chance of making the play off places in the division. There was the pleasing sight of Neil Sharp returning to the first team starting role of central defender for the first time for thirteen months following his recovery from illness. The rest of the side remained from the one that had lost their Easter Monday game with Woking. The hosts Welling United had also had a pointless Easter period with two single goal defeats both against fellow play off sides and showed five changes from the sides that had played in those games for the club. The first half chance of the game fell on nine minutes when striker Jake Hobbs fired a shot wide of the target. Eastleigh had start

EASTLEIGH v WOKING MONDAY 5th APRIL 2010 Blue Square South Report by Jamie Montigue On this Easter Monday, play-off chasing Woking secured their fourth win in five games to condemn Eastleigh to their sixth match without victory. With Saturday’s defeat at Dover, Eastleigh really needed to end their disappointing run this afternoon after a dismal return of just one point from a possible eighteen in their last six fixtures. It was make or break at the Silverlake, as far as the Spitfires’ slim promotion hopes were concerned with the club finding themselves ten points adrift of a second successive playoff campaign. In the opening stages of the game it was the visitors who threatened with Moses Ademola making his presence felt with just four minutes on the clock. Attacking down the right flank, the midfielder made a surging run to skip past Brett Poate almost effortlessly but had his low cross cut out by Jason Matthews ahead of the unmarked Craig Faulconbridge. With ten minutes played, Ri

DOVER ATHLETIC v EASTLEIGH   SATURDAY 3rd APRIL 2010 Blue Square South Report by Ray Murphy Before this game kicked off Eastleigh’s chances of reaching their goal of the play off places in the Division were an outside chance. If Dover clinched victory and other results went their way, they would have climbed into second place in the Blue Square South. Dover were on a run of five consecutive victories before the game including their last outing which was a four nil wipe out of Hampton & Richmond. Eastleigh were unable to field Luke Wilkinson in their line up as he is in the process of being recalled by Portsmouth whilst Tom Jordan was a welcome return to the side following injury. Ross Bottomley was paired up front with Richard Gillespie. Dover were without midfielder Sammy Moore which also led to a couple of positional changes. The game was never going to match up to the quality of the F A Cup tie that the two sides played back at The Crabble last October. This game was

The Football Conference are pleased to announce that Blue Square, part of the Rank Group, has signed a new three year - seven figure deal, to continue as Title Sponsor for all three divisions for the next three seasons. To bring more emphasis to their sponsorship, the respective divisions will now be known as BLUE SQUARE BET PREMIER , BLUE SQUARE BET NORTH and BLUE SQUARE BET SOUTH . The agreement, signed by Mark Jones the MD of Blue Square and Brian Lee, the Chairman of the Football Conference took place in the presence of Sir Geoff Hurst, who will be Blue Square’s guest of honour at this season’s Promotion Final at Wembley on Sunday 16th May. Blue Square are excited to have such a legend, not only in this World Cup year but  with him returning to the ‘Venue of Dreams’ to present the trophy to the club who will gain promotion to the Football League via the Conference play-off system. Mark Jones stated “We are delighted to be continuing our sponsorship of the Conference competi