Baird's travelling army

By Wendy Gee -

EASTLEIGH manager Ian Baird has thanked the club's loyal away support as his side prepares for another Blue Square South trip.

Having made the 400-mile round trip to Cornwall to play Truro City, Eastleigh head 100 miles east to Kent to play Tonbridge Angels.

It is another long drive for Eastleigh's loyal away following and Baird hopes they will be rewarded with the club's first Blue Square South points of the season.

He said: "The support we had at Truro was absolutely tremendous. We had about 50 fans there and they were very vocal and supportive.

"Sometimes we don't get the most vocal support at home but in my time with the club it's been excellent away from home and they seem to be pleased with what we're doing.

"They know the remit is different from previous seasons but football is still all about results and we need to get one at Tonbridge."

Having lost at home to Basingstoke on the opening day of the season before going down 2-1 at newly-promoted Truro, Eastleigh are one of five teams without a win from their first two games. One of those is Boreham Wood.

"There have been some strange results so far," said Baird. "Havant & Waterlooville got a good result at Boreham Wood who have been the big spenders but are also without a point.

"We have to be positive and we have every reason to be after our performance at Truro. But we need to get a result."

Baird is expected to persist with his exciting crop of teenagers in Kent, following an encouraging performance against the Southern League champions.

"Not many teams start a Conference South game with three 18-year-olds [Andrew White, Jordace Holder-Spooner, and Billy Tsovolos before bringing on a 16-year-old [Sam Wilson]," said Baird.

"Although they're all strong, they're only between 5ft 8in and 5ft 10 tall so that was brave to say the least knowing what we're up against in what is a very physical league.

"The senior players have been different class in pre-season and again on Tuesday."

Baird is expecting a very, very hard game" against Tonbridge, who won 4-0 at Maidenhead on the opening day of the season and will be determined to bounce back after crashing 4-1 at home to Paul Doswell's Sutton United on Tuesday night.

He is hoping Jamie Brown, Danny Smith and Jamie Slabber recover from minor knocks they sustained in Tuesday's match at Truro.