Baird: Doswell return will "add large amount of spice" to Trophy tie

By Adrian Kajumba -

 

IAN BAIRD says the return of Paul Doswell will add a “large amount of spice” to Eastleigh’s FA Trophy first-round tie against Sutton United.

The Spitfires were paired with the Ryman Premier Division leaders in yesterday's draw, setting up an emotional return to the Silverlake Stadium for Us manager Doswell.

Doswell made his managerial name with Eastleigh, leading the club on their meteoric rise from the Wessex League to the Conference South.

He won’t be the only member of the Sutton squad returning to Eastleigh.

Ex-Silverlake favourite, striker Andy Forbes, is currently on loan at Sutton from Woking, while another popular ex-Spitfire, goalkeeper Wayne Shaw, is a coach at the Londoners.

Karim El-Salahi, Steve Watts and Karl Murray are three other Sutton players who will come up against their former employers.

Spitfires boss Baird said: “Obviously there is a lot of history between Eastleigh and Paul Doswell and that will add a large amount of spice to it all as will the fact they have four or five ex- Eastleigh players.”

Baird hopes the return of Doswell and his Eastleigh old boys will help attract a bigger crowd.

“I hope so,” he added. “If we were playing Sutton normally nothing would be said but with Paul Doswell’s affiliation to Eastleigh it certainly adds something.” 

 

Eastleigh edged out another Ryman Premier League side, strugglers Folkestone Invicta, 2-1 to reach the first round and Baird is expecting an even tougher test against Sutton.

 

"If you went through their one to 16 they can all play at a higher level," he said. "They are a big non-league club and renowned for beating Coventry in the FA Cup in 1989.

"There is a lot of history with them so it should make for an interesting match."

Eastleigh have four consecutive away games before that mouth-watering tie on Saturday December 11, starting tonight at ex-Saint Graham Baker's Woking.

The Spitfires will be aiming to avenge their 3-2 FA Cup fourth-qualifying round defeat at Kingfield a month ago, Eastleigh's exit that day still rankles with Baird, not just because Woking earned a money-spinning first-round tie against his former club Brighton because their form has also picked up.

 

Woking's only defeat in the six games since their FA Cup meeting with Eastleigh was on  penalties to Brighton in last Tuesday's first-round replay.

"We have kick-started their season," Baird said.

"We led, then went behind and got back level and from our point of view we conceded a very poor goal and it took a while to get over it.

"That day was a big disappointment."

Baker has strengthened his squad since and one of his new additions, on-loan Wycombe winger Jerome Federico, has made a real impression with three goals in five games.

But Baird said: "I always say it's not about them it's about us. The league is wide open. We have lost four games in 15 but every game is important because of the league being so open."

Eastleigh will be without Jamie Slabber (knee) and Jamie Brown (ankle) for the trip to Woking.