Welling United v Eastleigh

SATURDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2008

BLUE SQUARE SOUTH

In their first home game in three weeks, Eastleigh maintained their push for a playoff spot, with a 3-1 win over Welling United. 

They were without top goalscorer Andy Forbes who limped out of the action in last weekend’s draw with Sutton United, midfield general Jamie Brown, who is due an operation at the beginning of next month and centre half Warren Goodhind who is on crutches due to a broken foot. In came two new signings for their home debuts in the form of striker Warren McBean and former Grays Athletic midfielder, Karl Murray. 

Eastleigh could not have wished for a better start as just four minutes into the game, the Spitfires raced into a very early lead. An Adam Everitt free kick on the left-hand side was helped on superbly by a towering header from Chris Collins. The centre half has been enjoying a good run in the side since making his comeback in the 4-1 win over Fisher Athletic, and made the goal with his headed assist to find WARREN MCBEAN in the centre. Eastleigh’s new striker finished clinically from close range as he netted his second goal in as many games having capped his full debut in midweek away to Eastbourne with a goal as well. 

On seven minutes, a cross from Andy Harris in a wide position picked out Paul Sales whose header, despite being on target was never going to be a problem for the goalkeeper Jamie Turner, who showed safe hands. 

Welling’s first attempt on goal was very wayward to say the least. Amos Foyewa’s long-ranged effort came closer to hitting the corner flag, not that Eastleigh looked in any danger of threatening to add to their lead with chances extremely limited for either side. 

Former Eastleigh winger Ellis Green, and first team coach Phil Handford, both of whom began the season at the Silverlake Stadium before returning to their old club Welling United just a couple of months down the line, were back today only this time sporting the red colours of the Wings. Green won his side a free kick in a great position with a quarter of an hour played as he went down somewhat easily under a challenge from Eastleigh skipper Andy Harris. Richard Carpenter beat the four-man wall but Wilkinson was more than comfortable in dealing with the soft strike from 25-yards. 

Four minutes later, a long throw on from Harris saw a Chris Collins header, more of a flick-on than anything else, fumbled by Turner low at his near post to gift Eastleigh a corner kick. Nothing materialised from the resulting set piece, instead United on the counter attack almost broke through and would have were it not for the alert goalkeeping of David Wilkinson. Ellis Green’s carefully threaded through ball in behind the Eastleigh defence left Sam Gargan in a one-on-one situation, which was won by the on-loan Crystal Palace goalkeeper Wilkinson who raced out of his goal to clear the danger. 

Midway through the half, Adam Everitt struck the cross bar with a free kick on the near side that floated in on the angle evading all including deceiving the goalkeeper who was saved by the woodwork. 

Chris Collins went down under a strong challenge from Amos Foyewa inside the Eastleigh penalty area on 32 minutes, though play was allowed to continue with the ball at Ohran Stewart’s feet. The Welling midfielder weaved through but he was denied twice by the Eastleigh defence which stood firm with Luke Byles leading the way in evading the danger before play eventually stopped to allow Collins to receive treatment. 

With the half coming to a close, Andy Harris tested Jamie Turner with a central free kick that had to be turned around the post with the tall frame of the goalkeeper diving at full stretch to keep the ball out. 

Mark Marshall might have won a penalty kick as he looked to get on the end of Harris’ through ball into the area but was shoulder-barged to the ground heavily by Max Ellison-Hustwick. It was a tough one to call as it was only a shoulder used in attempting to shield off the ball but you have seen them given and the referee had to judge as-to whether it was a fair challenge or not. 

To summarise the first half failed to live up to it’s lively opening and unfortunately became very flat for long periods of play though the Spitfires would not argue with the half time scoreline going into the break a goal to the good.

HALF TIME – Eastleigh 1-0 Welling United

Eastleigh were forced into making a change during the break with Chris Collins unable to continue following Foyewa’s strong and some might say ‘nasty’ tackle in the first half. This was very sad to see as yet again the man who has been harshly dogged with so many injuries could yet face another setback just when he was getting back into his stride. 

Peter Adeniyi was his replacement, which led to Karl Murray switching to centre half to accommodate the tall centre midfielder. 

Joe Howe caught Chris Piper extremely late flying in with a high foot early in the second half but bewilderingly managed to escape with the punishment of a yellow card only. 

It was the visitors who looked somewhat sharper in the early stages with Luke Byles getting caught out with a diagonal ball into the penalty area which bounced awkwardly allowing Gargan to pounce but fire high over the target, failing to trouble Wilkinson. 

Welling’s ORLANDO SMITH came on at the break and made his mark on the encounter netting the equaliser just ten minutes into the second half. Jinxing left and then right to turn his marker inside out, the midfielder then planted an unstoppable drive from range past the despairing dive of David Wilkinson. 

Up to this point the hosts had been rather dull and unusually uninspiring in their general play and for this reason Welling probably deserved their goal in some respects. It took conceding this goal to gee the Spitfires back into action which they did restoring the lead through a phenomenal corner kick. 

Mark Marshall’s sublime delivery from the left-hand side was whipped in with great pace and floated into the net directly from his corner kick. A wonderful sight, a moment very rarely seen in the game that only someone with the same sort of flair as Marshall could pull off. 

Moments before taking a 2-1 lead, McBean shot narrowly behind from an Everitt long throw. 

Eastleigh were now in full swing and might have further extended their advantage when Turner came to the edge of his penalty area to claim a long ball forward. The Welling goalkeeper tumbled taking the ball outside the box, where McBean looked to capitalise playing the ball square to set up Paul Sales. Turner was still in no mans land but Sales, with the goal at his mercy, screwed his shot wide of goal. 

The points were sealed with a brilliantly crafted third Eastleigh goal. Marshall again played his part setting David Hughes free into the penalty area who played an unselfish pass to his right where Sales dummied to let it roll for Piper. The former Fisher midfielder calmly slotted home to round off a wonderful move that more than deserved its outcome of a goal. 

With nine minutes remaining Adam Everitt had a free kick saved with relative ease by Turner at his near post. 

Matt Hann also came close when a typically splendid pass from Hughes allowed the winger to nip inside to go clear of the last defender only to hit it far too soon, the shot watched safely wide. 

The Wings put up a valiant attempt in searching for a late consolation. Orlando Smith’s cross from the right following neat play by Stewart, who had evaded two challenges beforehand, was headed behind by Adeniyi for a corner-kick. From which, Sam Gargan headed inches wide of the upright. 

FULL TIME – Eastleigh 3-1 Welling United 

JAMIE MONTIGUE