Polished performance maintains unbeaten run

Eastleigh 2nd XI 2-0 Sutton United Res.

Suburban Premier League


TEAM: Craig Lisher, Jon Horner, James Screen, Justin Hall, Jason Sangha, Chris Mason (c), Adam Roberts, Richard Bridle, Joe Maxwell, Aaron Milburn, Nick Watt.

SUBS: Joe Sheppard (on for Bridle 53), Scott Waters (on for Maxwell 55), Jamie Moth (on for Milburn 58)

Match Report by Jamie Montigue

Click here for match photos

Having started the new year with a win last weekend with a 2-1 scoreline over East Grinstead Town away from home, Eastleigh's reserves kept up their 100% record for 2008 with a further victory this afternoon at the Silverlake Stadium.

From the very beginning the Spitfires youngsters continued where they left off the following week and inside the opening minute forced a corner kick. Nick Watt pressurised the Sutton goalkeeper charging down his kick, which led to Joe Maxwell followed up with a header that took a slight deflection.

Craig Lisher, making his home league debut for the second team was given his first test of the afternoon a moment later. Jon Horner gave chase as Jermiele Johnson sprinted down the left wing but could not stop the Sutton United player from getting his shot in, which proved to be comfortable for Lisher.


Meanwhile Eastleigh had a half chance when Aaron Milburn glanced a Nick Watt cross towards goal only for Joe McCloughlin to pluck the ball out of the air to make the save.

The hosts had an even better chance in the seventh minute when the excellent Adam Roberts weaved his way into the box cleverly before picking out Chris Mason so unselfishly. The Eastleigh skipper had time and space in front of goal and will perhaps be disappointed not to have done better. Credit to the goalkeeper for making himself big however to concede a corner.

From the resulting set piece, Mason was unfortunate to have struck the foot of the post. A goal mouth scramble followed with Sutton United unable to clear their lines. 'Taz' tried his utmost to turn the ball over the line but there was to be no way through.

Three minutes later, a powerful run with great pace from Taz saw the tricky winger held back to earn his side a free kick. James Screen stepped up 25 yards from goal, but fired high over the cross bar.

The pressure proved to pay dividends for Eastleigh as JOE MAXWELL found the back of the net with a neat finish from close range to give Brian and Adie's men a thirteenth minute lead.

Jon Horner was given a yellow card for a slightly late tackle midway through the half handing the visitors a free kick, from which the dangerous delivery deceived all and went out for a goal kick.

Ten minutes before the break, Nick Watt skillfully worked his way past a defender, cutting inside seemingly with ease to get the ball onto his right foot only for the effort to be fired wide of the target.

Eastleigh found themselves down to ten men not long after when Horner was shown a second yellow card for a similar tackle to the one he was booked for earlier. Again it was nothing malicious but late all the same and deservedly warranted a bookable offence and therefore the red that followed.

Not that this deterred the Eastleigh youngsters who if anything looked all the better for it, as so often happens in the same situation with the team a man short working that much harder to make the difference.

Just two minutes after the dismissal a very well worked goal saw the Spitfires double their lead. Arron Milburn's hard work down the right channel opened up the opportunity initially which Mason continued with a delightful angled cross to the far post where NICK WATT met the ball with a low diving header that beat the keeper to round off a fine move.

HALF TIME: Eastleigh 2nd XI 2-0 Sutton United Res.

Two goals to the good from a first half that went according to plan, the forty-five minutes that followed for Eastleigh was if anything even better for the way they held their own defensively playing with just three men at the back.

In the opening stages of the half a Richard Bridle pop shot from the edge of the penalty area was driven inches wide of goal.

Sutton then wasted an excellent opportunity to pull a goal back. Chris Mason caught Jamaal Horne just outside the box but the free kick was blazed over the top failing to trouble the Eastleigh goalkeeper.

Both Nick Watt and Adam Roberts continued to shine and pose problems for the Sutton United defence and the pair combined neatly in the 55th minute. Watt the talented young left midfielder executed a fine piece of skill to leave his marker standing before showing further excellent wing play with a decent delivery that found Taz in the middle. Taking the ball with good control, Roberts couldn't keep his shot down as he struck with his weaker left foot.


Eastleigh made their third substitution with Jamie Moth joining Joe Sheppard and Scott Waters, who had been introduced a little earlier, as he replaced Arron Milburn to add a bit of muscle in attack. Moth can be proud of his performance for putting himself about and never giving the centre backs time to settle.

A foul on Waters presented Watt with the chance to try his luck from range with a free kick on the far side, which despite beating the wall was straight at the goalkeeper.

Just after the hour mark fantastic work rate, determination and pace once more from Taz saw him pressure the full back into a mistake as he won a ball that didn't really look to be there for the taking. From there Roberts brought the ball forward to win a corner kick out of nothing, unfortunately however nothing came of it.

Sutton United were limited to shooting from range such was the quality of defending from the trio of Jason Sangha, Justin Hall and James Screen.

When Sutton came forward in the 79th minute, Justin Hall displayed just one of countless examples of the mentioned defenders playing to a high level of performance. There were suspicions of hand ball in the build up which were ignored by the referee and his assistant as Johnson was allowed to continue, getting to the touchline and sending into the area. Hall flung himself at the cross bravely and got a vital touch to prevent a simple tap in for the man running in unmarked at the far post.

Seven minutes from time, Waters burst down the right hand side getting the better of James Griffin and looked to find Moth to his left with a square ball but was denied by a timely intervention to cut out the immediate threat.

Taz came close with a low side-footed effort following promising approach play soon after.

In the closing minutes Lisher typified his overall performance in dealing with a hopeful ball into the box. Calm, collected, Craig rose to claim the ball and made it look easy despite the fact he was under severe pressure as Sutton threw bodies into the box in search of a consolation goal.


Deservedly Lisher and his defence came out with a clean sheet from a thoroughly, impressive and solid defensive second half display.

Eastleigh are now unbeaten in five games and on this form will be looking to push on into the top five in the Suburban Premier Division.

FULL TIME: Eastleigh 2nd XI 2-0 Sutton Utd Res.

Comments

  1. Anonymous6:44 pm

    god that lisher sounds good

    -martin o'neil

    ReplyDelete

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