Blue Square Bet South
Eastleigh 2 Boreham Wood 0
by John Mead
These two in form sides swapped places in mid-table as Wood’s current mini goal
drought continues. They have scored just once in their last four games in all Competitions.
Wood defended well throughout, yet never really stamped their authority on the game
with the home side, bolstered by the recent signings of Damien Scannell and Mitchell Nelson in convincing form.
It was a poor afternoon in front of goal for Ian Allinson’s men, with neither David Bryant or Michael Thalassitis able to threaten.
Wood’s main downfall was the lack of link play between midfield and attack, whilst The Spitfires scored a very classy second goal, after being gifted a bizarre thirty-sixth minute opener.
The Spitfires fashioned three chances in the opening five minutes. Jamie Slabber played a neat ball inside from the right for Scannell whose attempted chip over Michael Jordan was well held by the Wood ‘keeper. Loan player Graeme Montgomery took advantage of a free kick just twenty five yards out, hitting a fine effort that Jordan tipped over the bar.
From the resultant corner Nelson shaped a downward header that was hooked off the line to safety by a Wood defender.
Wood’s first real piece of possession came after fourteen minutes when Thalassitis
found Sam Lechmere on the right whose cross was headed into the hands of Jack
Dovey by Bryant at the far post.
The Spitfires went close again when Nelson and Scannell combined finding Jordace
Holder-Spooner. He slipped when aiming for goal, yet was not closed down and
recovered to fashion a shot that had the beating of Jordan, yet Wood were saved
by the outside of the post.
Sam Cox produced a dogged performance for Wood after his Loan period was extended, whilst Charlie O’Loughlin was the busiest player on the pitch with a superb old fashioned defender’s display.
Against the run of play Wood were gifted a fine opportunity to take the lead on the
half hour. Michael Green’s lacking back pass went straight to Bryant who was denied by a fine save by Dovey who saved with his legs.
The loose ball fell for Lechmere who could only pull his jersey over his head when his low drive failed to hit the target.
Back came Eastleigh and Green’s gaffe was replicated by Luke Garrard on the right,
his back pass falling well short of Jordan. What followed was bizarre. Jordan rushed out with Slabber favourite to win the challenge.
Yet Slabber let the ball run under his foot, which produced an air kick from Jordan who had taken his eye off the ball allowing Slabber to run through and stroke home into an empty net.
Tom Jordan forced a save from his namesake before Scannell tested the Wood ‘keeper
early in the second half. Bryant had a good shout for a penalty turned down after sixty-one minutes after drifting past a defender and going to ground under a challenge.
The second goal came after sixty-eight minutes and was worth the entrance fee. Green atoned for his earlier gaffe with a brilliant run down the left wing. His cross was sumptuous finding Scannell at the far post whose diving header left Jordan no chance. Thalassitis produced a good strong run into danger from the left earning a corner, but the lack of service to the strikers on the afternoon allowed The Spitfires an easy three points.
Team: Jordan, Sankofa, Jones, Cox, O’Loughlin (Sub – Beckles 73 mins.), Wilkinson, Lechmere, Garrard (Sub – Cochrane 73 mins.), Thalassitis, Bryant, Hutton (Sub – McMahon 46 mins.).
Subs (Not used): Koranteng, Johnson.
Bookings: O’Loughlin, Garrard, McMahon.
Goals: Eastleigh: Slabber 36, Scannell 68.
Wood Man of the Match: Charlie O’Loughlin.
