Great away day: Braintree Town 0-2 Eastleigh

Match Report by Ray Murphy

Last season Eastleigh had to wait until midway through their campaign before picking up their first away league victory of the season. The Spitfires bounced back from their first poor away display this campaign at Bath City on Tuesday evening to put on record an excellent performance and a thoroughly deserved away victory.

Manager David Hughes rearranged his line up from the Bath match. Andy Harris and Damian Scannell both returned to the side from injury whilst Steve Watts made his final appearance before undergoing knee surgery on Tuesday. There was also a starring role at left back for midweek signing Luke Byles from Havant & Waterlooville. In addition to this Danny Smith reverted to right back allowing Chris Piper to accompany Anthony Riviere in the middle of the park, whilst Warren Ryan continued in the left flank role that he finished off playing at Bath.

Braintree unbeaten in the first two games and fresh from a home victory over one of the title favourites Bromley were soon on their heels as Eastleigh attacked from the outset. The early warning signs from the outset saw a Watts header from a Smith cross narrowly off target.

With Eastleigh always being in the ascendancy Scannell posing all sorts of problems on the right hand side and Ryan causing concern on the opposite flank, it was no surprise that Eastleigh went ahead on twenty minutes. Surprisingly though the right wing cross that brought the opening goal came via Andy Forbes. Riviere arrived in the box to get on the end of the Forbes delivery only for the 6’ 8” Braintree goalkeeper Nick Morgan to push the ball away but straight into the path of Smith who firmly planted the ball into the back of the net.

The goal did not bring an immediate response from the hosts. Four minutes later the Braintree defence remained static as Forbes lofted another effort just wide of the target. With thirty-one minutes played Ryan was impeded by Braintree full back Jerome Sobers wide on the left. Piper’s free kick low into the six yard box saw Watts add the deftest of touches to add Eastleigh’s second goal. It looked as though Eastleigh would add more as four minutes later Forbes headed another Ryan cross just off target.

The Braintree management team moved quickly replacing midfielder John Hawes with a striker in Eugene Ofori and the diminutive Robbie Martin being allowed a free roaming midfield role. This did not bring much affect though as the half was coming to a close Mark Jones dragged a long range shot across the face of the goal and Robbie Marshall produced a fine defensive header in the six yard box to deny Ofori a goalscoring opportunity.

The Braintree side were back to the field within minutes of reaching the changing rooms waiting for Eastleigh for the second period, another substitution having been made with midfielder Louis Riddle replacing Robbie Porter. Riddle had an impact on the game with a hard working second forty-five minutes but Eastleigh always held the upper hand.

Riddle produced the first attempt of the second half, eight minutes in his fiercely struck long range effort saw James Pullen field the ball at the second attempt. As play switched to the opposite end, Watts saw another header from a Piper corner just wide.

Eastleigh fans thought that any fears of a Braintree comeback were swept aside on sixty one minutes when Watts sent a left foot drive crashing against the far post only for the ball to arrive back at the striker who then tamely headed the wrong side of the opposite upright.

An excellent overall performance though and a thoroughly deserved three points.