Eastleigh Reserves 1-0 AFC Grains
Eastleigh lined up against the unbeaten AFC Grains as follows: Tom Coffey was in goal with a back four made up of Ryan Fuller and Sam Griswood at full back with Tony Lee and Captain Jack Smith in the centre. In midfield James Jennings and Brad Doyle were the wide players with Elliott Cross and Harrison Weeks in the centre. Geoff Dunn then played in just behind Braiden Hamilton up front.
As early as the eighth minute Tom Coffey was called into action with a good save pushing the ball round the post.
Eleven minutes in and AFC Grains had a goal ruled out for offside.
On seventeen minutes Coffey saved again with a push around the post.
In the twenty-fifth minute with Eastleigh on the attack Brad Doyle had two efforts in quick succession well saved by the Grains keeper.
In the thirty-eighth minute a shot from distance from Grains' Ben Keens just dipped over the bar. In the forty-third minute Brad Doyle hit the bar and just before half time Keens had to be replaced by Grains with Liam Osman coming on. All in all a close first half with even possession and both teams having chances.
Eleven minutes in and AFC Grains had a goal ruled out for offside.
On seventeen minutes Coffey saved again with a push around the post.
In the twenty-fifth minute with Eastleigh on the attack Brad Doyle had two efforts in quick succession well saved by the Grains keeper.
In the thirty-eighth minute a shot from distance from Grains' Ben Keens just dipped over the bar. In the forty-third minute Brad Doyle hit the bar and just before half time Keens had to be replaced by Grains with Liam Osman coming on. All in all a close first half with even possession and both teams having chances.
Half Time: Eastleigh Reserves 0-0 AFC Grains
On to the second half, Eastleigh's Geoff Dunn - who was looking a lot brighter this half - had a free kick saved by the keeper in the 59th minute. A minute later a shot from Elliott Cross was well saved by the Grains keeper again. It wasn't long to wait for the Eastleigh break through as a good move from James Jennings and the lively Dunn was finished with a goal from Braiden Hamilton in the 62nd minute.
Eastleigh were now on their way to victory. A flurry of substitutions took place between the 70th and 75th minute with Eastleigh replacing Harrison Weeks with Andreas Mavilis and Brad Doyle with Jordan Prince.
Grains swapped Tom Gray for Simon Gray with fifteen minutes to play. The more and more influential Geoff Dunn had a shot saved well by Gav Bailey. Just after this, Jack Smith had a header cleared off the line.
Sam Gristwood was replaced in the 80th minute by Curtis Rayment.
In the 83rd minute Dunn again had a lob well saved. Grains made their final substitution on 84 minutes with Alex Adams being replaced by Dave Butler.
In the 85th minute Dunn hit the post and just before the end captain Smith again had a header, headed over the bar by a Grains defender. This concluded a good game with Eastleigh getting the deserved victory for their second half performance.
Geoff Dunn played very well for the Spitfires in the second half and was probably the Man of The Match for Eastleigh. However the overall Man of The Match must go to the 44-year-old AFC Grains goal keeper Gav Bailey, who kept his team in the game time and time again.
A good evenings entertainment for the 100 + crowd.
Full Time: Eastleigh Reserves 1-0 AFC Grains
Report by Richard Montigue
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