Phillips arrival puts pressure on Eastleigh strikers

By Wendy Gee - 

Eastleigh’s signing of pedigree striker Lee Phillips from Bath City underlines their belief that they can still achieve ‘mission impossible’ by reaching the Blue Square Bet South play-offs.

The vastly experienced 31-year-old former Plymouth, Weymouth, Exeter and Torquay frontman has joined Ian Baird’s sixth-placed side until the end of the season and goes straight into the squad for tomorrow’s vital home game against in-form Hampshire rivals Farnborough.

Having scored nine goals in the last six matches, Eastleigh’s on-loan Aldershot marksman Bradley Bubb is on fire – hence he was this week named BSB South player-of-the-month for February.

But with Jamie Brown missing the next two games suspended and Richard Gillespie having rejoined Bashley on loan, the Spitfires want to hot up competition alongside Bubb as they bid to close the nine-point gap on fifth-placed Sutton United.

“I’m more than happy with Jamie Slabber, but we need a bit of competition for him,” said Baird.

“As I keep saying, we’re in a game by game situation and we know we’ve got to get results and that’s why we’ve brought in another striker." 

 

"It would have been lovely to have got three or even one point at Salisbury (a 2-0 defeat), but we didn't and not getting something there heaped the pressure on us.

 

"Tomorrow we come up against a Farnborough side who are top of the form table and we know we have to get a result."

 

After a rocky start to the season, Farnborough eased the threat of relegation by winning five of their last six league games, earning owner/team boss Spencer Day February's divisional manager-of-the-month prize.

 

But the north Hampshire club were this week dealt a double hammer blow, having five league points docked for financial irregularities - a decision they intend to appeal - and announcing that a proposed takeover deal had fallen through.

 

Eastleigh have been practically invincible at home in the league this season having gone 11 games unbeaten at their Silverlake stronghold.

 

But Baird remains wary of the Cherrywood Road outfit who have recently been boosted by on-loan AFC Totton striker Michael Charles, who has netted three goals in as many games for his home town club.

 

Eastleigh's former AFC Bournemouth right-back Mitchell Nelson has been ill all week and is a doubtful starter tomorrow.