Eastleigh v Newport County

TUESDAY 12th AUGUST 2008

BLUE SQUARE SOUTH

Mark Marshall tonight played his last ever game for the Spitfires ahead of his switch to the Football League with League One side Swindon Town. 

Eastleigh were boosted by the return from suspension of midfield duo Anthony Riviere and Peter Adeniyi who were the only changes from the winning side at Thurrock on Saturday. 

Dean Holdsworth's side meanwhile were on the back of a 4-1 defeat at the hands of newly promoted  AFC Wimbledon, and Ian Baird's former colleague at Havant & Waterlooville, came to the Silverlake Stadium tonight to try and bounce back from this early set-back. 

The Spitfires started the game brightly with a free kick from Trevor Challis being flicked on into the danger area by Matt Groves before County's Phil Walsh could intervene with an acrobatic interception to clear the visitors' lines. 

A minute later, Anthony Riviere rushed into the penalty box, where he connected with a ball in from the left flank only to be denied at point blank range from goalkeeper Glyn Thompson who reacted very quickly to keep out the attempt and an otherwise certain goal. 

Newport County's first attack of note came in the sixth minute, when Andy Harris made a hash of clearing the ball, swinging and missing where Richard Evans could pick up on the loose ball to set Rob Duffy to his right. The ex-Oxford United striker tried to catch out Jason Matthews with an audacious and clever chip from 10 yards, but Matthews reacted well tipping the ball onto the cross bar and fortunately behind for a corner kick. 

With both sides having goalscoring opportunities and coming close within the opening minutes of the game, Eastleigh's first home game of the 2008/9 season in the Blue Square South, began with a lively opening with end to end action. 

Tony Taggart was causing a problem or two down the right flank with his quick footwork and use of both feet always leaving the defender on the back foot. Swindon-bound Marshall was also determined to put on a performance and showed signs of real quality at times, on the opposite wing attacking down the left. 

Eastleigh took a 22^nd minute lead, somewhat fortuitously as Andy Harris' free kick from inside his own half was turned into the net by Phil Walsh for an own goal. The striker finding himself doing far more harm than good by being back to help defend this set piece, leaving Thompson bewildered and flat-footed as the ball rolled over the line past the helpless keeper much to the delight of the Eastleigh support. 

In response, County rallied briefly but failed to force a save out of Matthews, despite a decent opportunity to do so in the 24^th minute from a well delivered free kick. The ball in was crying out for an end product at the back post, but was dragged shamelessly wide. 

With half an hour on the clock, Eastleigh looked to have doubled their lead through Tony Taggart, who brought the ball forward and into the box from a neat James Baker knock down, before squeezing the ball past the keeper and into the goal. Sadly, the flag was up and the goal didn't stand. 

Trevor Challis made an early exit from the game being replaced by Ashley Vickers in the 37^th minute due to an injury sustained earlier in the game, believed to be a bruised thigh. 

Five minutes before the break, the Spitfires extended their lead to 2-0 through a well-placed Matthews long ball that saw a static Newport back line totally unprepared for dealing with the potential threat of the situation. ANTHONY RIVIERE reacted quickest in getting to the ball first and planted a beautiful strike beyond the keeper, picking out the top corner from the edge of the penalty area having steadied himself for the shot, and picking his spot. A great goal. 

Just when things were looking rosy and comfortable, Eastleigh conceded a goal at the worst possible time – in the final minute of the half. In similar fashion to Riviere's goal, route one football from the visitors saw Thompson  pump the ball long from which, the ball was helped into the path of  KEVIN COOPER who stroked the ball home seemingly effortlessly with a smart side-footed shot to slot past Matthews. 

HALF TIME: Eastleigh 2-1 Newport County

Two minutes after the break Newport skipper, Adie Harris blazed high over the cross bar after appeals for a penalty were turned down. The away fans and players alike clearly believed they had reason to shout when the ball appeared to strike the hand of Tom Jordan. 

In the 52^nd minute, Riviere tried his luck just outside the area connecting well with a powerful low drive, which took a heavy deflection off a Newport defender and with it the pace of the ball. Luckily for Thompson, the County stopper was well positioned this time and was able to prevent the same result as the first goal of the game. 

Peter Adeniyi squandered a great opportunity to restore the two-goal cushion two minutes later, as Andy Harris' long throw on from the left evaded everyone to present the tall midfielder with a chance to get his name on the score sheet on his return. However, Peter somehow missed from just five yards poking the ball wide of the post. 

Marshall was beginning to come into his own with sublime skill on the wing, always lively and posing danger to the Newport full back each time he got the ball. 

It was the pacey wide-man who created Eastleigh's third goal in the 64^th minute. Sending in a low cross from the left, MATT GROVES was on hand to turn the ball in at the near post for his first competitive goal for the club showing real striker's instinct in the six-yard-box. 

Eastleigh continued to dominate proceedings with James Baker coming close shortly after Groves' goal, nodding just wide of the post having rose well to meet an Andy Harris corner. 

In the 68^th minute, Tony Taggart and Anthony Riviere worked the ball well down the right hand side to set up Groves in the centre, who poked the ball goal wards from a tight angle only for the keeper to watch the effort flash across goal where it was then cleared to safety. 

Andy Harris went for goal with a free kick on the left five minutes later, but from twenty-plus yards the Eastleigh captain fired low into the side netting. 

Into the final ten minutes, Newport County got a timely second goal to set up a tense finale. 

It was extremely well-worked with several passes strung together down the right, DANNY ROSE was involved heavily in the build up and rounded off an excellent team move with a fine finish into the corner of goal for 3-2. 

Eastleigh had just one more chance before the game was up, this coming from wonderful footwork by Tony Taggart. Great feet, and a sharp turn in tight space, saw the former Havant midfielder work room for the shot but fired the ball straight at the keeper with his left foot. 

Newport were now throwing everything at their opponents in a desperate attempt to salvage a point, though the closest they came was two minutes from time, when the goalscorer and former Manchester United midfielder, Danny Rose watched his cross land on the roof of the net. 

FULL TIME: Eastleigh 3-2 Newport County 

JAMIE MONTIGUE