Russell cotes final

[Mark44]

 

 

 

Russell Cotes Cup Final

Wednesday 16th April

 

From the start of the match Eastleigh dominated most of the play, and their reward came as early as the fifth minute, when a long ball out of defence found James Stokoe on the left wing close to the half way line. A deft head on by him followed by a great cross allowed Jamie Thornby to put Eastleigh ahead with a brave diving header close to the approaching Colin Matthews. Matthews was in action again when a similar cross from the right by Shaun Dyke was headed on by Stokoe and found Thornby again, but this time Matthews was equal to the effort. Eastleigh started to play possession football and found Gosport reluctant to attack. By the half hour, Eastleigh had started to push again and there were good efforts from Stokoe, Thornby and Dyke, all of whom were playing with flair and confidence. Their reward came again on 37 minutes, when a long ball from Mark Blake dropped over the head of Alex Haddow as he streaked through the defence, skillfully evading the offside trap, and his delightful lob on the volley beat the advancing Matthews who could barely get his hands to it. Gosport were fortunate not to be three down at half time when Martin Beck ran on to a loose ball, and only a good block by Matthews kept the ball from the net.

 

In the second half, Borough were under pressure again with good play from Dyke and Haddow and on 58 minutes had to conceed a penalty as Beck was brought down in the box after his darting run past three defenders had given him a good shooting opportunity. Ryan Ashford stepped up to hit the ball low and hard into the bottom left hand corner for Eastleigh's third. Both teams decided the time was right for double substitutions on 61 minutes, and from then on the game became a little more balanced. Gosport had a fine chance on 75 minutes, when a long run by Abdoulie Ndoye from close to his own half, led to his great shot under pressure at the edge of the 18yd box, being pushed round the post by Wayne Shaw on full stretch. Their consolation came on 82 minutes when Rob Marshall conceeded a penalty, and John Cripps scored from the spot. Gosport were a little unlucky in the closing minutes, when Cripps crossed to Ndoye, whose speed had been giving the Eastleigh defence quite a few problems, and he headed goalwards. Only the one handed acrobatic save from Shaw kept the score at 3-1. Gosport put up a good fight but in the end were not quite in the same League.

 

Eastleigh man of the match: Alex Haddow

 

 

 

Nice to see that alex is getting on well at his new club. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/affig.gif" alt="" />

[EFC Fan]

That report of his goal really doesn't do the mighty mullet any justice.

It was a magnificent piece of vision and skill and worthy of gracing a far bigger stage than the RC Cup.

 

Alex has started to settle in now and over the past couple of games has shown why we were so keen to sign him. We are at last able to say his best performance at Sparshatts Stadium is not the one in a Slough Shirt!!

[Don Juan DeMarcus]

Fair play to Alex he deserves it!