MKJ Group
Friendly
7:30pm - TuesdayTue 30th JulyJul 2013
Silverlake Stadium

Eastleigh
Eastleigh
2 - 4

Woking
Woking

Cards travel to ambitious Eastleigh

Brian Caffarey
8:43am, Mon 29th Jul 2013
Eastleigh v Woking
Pre-season friendly
7.30pm on Tuesday 30 July 2013 (NB Kick-off time)

The Cards travel to ambitious Eastleigh on Tuesday evening for their penultimate pre-season friendly. Garry Hill’s side will be in good spirits after their impressive 3-0 home win on Saturday over League One side Gillingham, which followed a 2-1 home win over Championship side AFC Bournemouth.

WOKING

Garry and Steve Thompson must have been encouraged by Saturday’s performance in which Gavin McCallum again, new signing Gavin Williams and trialist winger Anthony McNamee, making his fourth consecutive friendly appearance, scored the goals. In spite of the Cards notching three goals, the main interest continues to lie in who Garry will bring in to strengthen his striking options. On Saturday former Ebbsfleet striker John Akinde, who played for Dover against us in a recent friendly, had a run-out, being replaced midway through the second half by Ollie Taylor from Wycombe Wanderers.

EASTLEIGH

The Spitfires, managed by ex-Stevenage Borough boss Richard Hill, have invested heavily in a squad which is full of well-known non-League players, including ex-Card Craig McAllister. A recent headline signing was that of striker Stuart Fleetwood, who made his name with Hereford United before gaining a move to Charlton Athletic. Other familiar names include keeper Ross Flitney, defender Chris Todd, striker Ben Strevens (signed from Dagenham and Redbridge this summer), midfielders Glen Southam and Jai Reason and winger Yemi Odubade.

Eastleigh finished fourth in the Conference South last season but lost in the play-off semi-final to Dover Athletic.

The Spitfires’ pre-season friendlies so far have been:

Eastleigh 0 Wycombe Wanderers 3
Wantage Town 1 Eastleigh 6
Eastleigh 2 Aldershot Town 1
Eastleigh 0 Southampton XI 1

Friday night’s game against a Southampton XI saw the Spitfires line up as follows: Ross Flitney (Jack Dovey), Dan Spence (Bradley Doyle), Michael Green (Ryan Fuller), Will Evans, Chris Dillon (Craig McAllister), Dean Beckwith, Jamie Collins (Sam Wilson), Glen Southam, Ben Strevens, Jai Reason, Stuart Fleetwood (Yemi Odubade)

Eastleigh start their season a week later than Woking, hosting Sutton United on Saturday 17 August.

GETTING THERE

Silverlake Stadium
Ten Acres
Stoneham Lane
Eastleigh
Hampshire
SO50 9HT
Tel. 023 8061 3361
Website: www.eastleighfc.com

By car

Take the M3 to J13. Turn right into Leigh Road. Go on till the crossroads and turn right at lights into Passfield Avenue. Go past Fleming Park Sports Centre on right. At the roundabout take second exit; at the next, take the first exit; go past Concorde Club. Take the first turning right into Stoneham Lane and the ground is 100 yards on left-hand side. There are 500 “free parking" spaces at the ground.

By train

Both Southampton Airport Parkway and Eastleigh stations are about a 20-minute walk from the ground. There are trains to Southampton Airport Parkway at 17.46, arriving (after a change at Basingstoke) at 18.32, or a direct train at 18.13, arriving at 19.02. There are direct trains to Eastleigh at 18.04 (18.54) and 18.13 (18.58).

On the way back there are trains from Southampton Airport Parkway at 21.53, 22.03, 22.08 and 22.38, whilst from Eastleigh they leave at 21.47, 22.14 and 22.46.

REMAINING FRIENDLY GAME

Friday 2 August: Woking v QPR XI (k.o. 7.45pm) (NB Change of date)

The Cards start their league campaign on Saturday 10 August at home to Lincoln City.


Come on, you Cards!

Cards shoot down the Spitfires on their own patch

Andy Turner
12:00am, Wed 31st Jul 2013
Eastleigh 2 Woking 4
Pre-Season Friendly
30th July 2013

A dominant Woking display showed the difference between the Conference Premier and South divisions, with the visitors overcoming big-spending Eastleigh by 4 goals to 2.

Woking’s starting XI showed three changes from Saturday’s starting line up, Sam Beasant replacing Aaron Howe in goal, Joe McNerney coming in for Jack Parkinson in defence and Kevin Betsy, making a welcome first start of the season, in place of Josh Payne in midfield. Eastleigh’s side included ex- Cards Ross Flitney and Craig McAllister and recent high profile signing Stuart Fleetwood.

In a quiet start to the match, it was Woking who made the early running with Lee Sawyer particularly influential in midfield. However, it was the hosts who had the first shot on goal when Stuart Fleetwood shot straight at Beasant. A scare for Woking came in the 21st minute when Yemi Odubade went down in the area under a challenge from Brett Johnson but the referee waved away the Eastleigh penalty claims. Johnson then performed a superb tackle on Will Evans as he was through on goal, but from this Woking broke quickly up field only to be halted by a foul on Lee Sawyer. Gavin Williams stepped up and his curling free kick was tipped over by the ex-Woking custodian for a corner. At the other end of the pitch, another superb tackle by Brett Johnson saved Woking as Odubade broke clear. Woking then cleared the ball upfield to Betsy, who made progress before passing to Williams who set up John Nutter to cross, only for Williams to head just wide.

After 33 minutes, Craig McAllister broke into the Woking area and looked odds-on to score but Beasant made himself big and saved superbly. Woking hit back when Kevin Betsy was bundled over near the left side of Eastleigh’s area. Williams sent the resulting free kick towards the far post only for Johnson to head narrowly wide.

On 36 minutes, Eastleigh took the lead. The Woking defence was caught out by a long ball over the top which released Odubade, who raced into the Woking area, drew Beasant and coolly scored under the keeper's diving body.

Within 2 minutes, Woking were level. A tackle by Williams allowed Betsy to pick up the loose ball. He skilfully tricked his way into the area and drew the 'keeper before squaring to Mark Ricketts, who slammed the ball home from 10 yards. With the half drawing to a close, Woking took the lead. Betsy found John Alcinde on the edge of the Eastleigh area and he passed to the oncoming Lee Sawyer who was upended in the box. Gavin Williams confidently dispatched the resulting penalty to give the Cards an interval lead.

Half-time: Eastleigh 1 Woking 2

Woking started the 2nd half as they finished the first and had an early chance when Joe McNerney headed a probing Williams corner narrowly wide. However, Eastleigh were soon level when, in the 52nd minute, half-time substitute Mike Cestor upended Eastleigh substitute Jai Reason in the area and he picked himself up to score from the penalty spot.

As often happens with pre-season friendlies, a large number of substitutions after the break disrupted the flow of the game. However, one of Woking's half-time replacements, Gez Sole, livened up the proceedings considerably after 63 minutes by scoring a superb goal. Betsy received the ball in midfield and surged forward before releasing Sole into the right channel of the area. As the 'keeper advanced to cut down the angle, the Woking forward coolly chipped over him to restore Woking’s lead. Eastleigh briefly threatened an equaliser in the 72nd minute when Damian Scannell set himself up to shoot, only to be denied by a last ditch tackle by Joe McNerney.

After this, it was Woking who dominated the remainder of the match. Second half substitute Niall Wright was fouled on the edge of the box allowing Sole a chance at a shot at goal but his free kick went just over. Both George Frith and Josh Payne then had shots which were charged down before a long ball to the far post on 81 minutes saw Ollie Taylor head just wide. With five minutes remaining Betsy's surging run was crudely halted on the edge of the area and Sole stepped up to send a wicked free kick thundering against the top of the crossbar. Finally, Woking scored their fourth in the 87th minute, another probing ball into the area by Sole finding Ollie Taylor who made no mistake from six yards.

Overall, this was an excellent all-round performance by Woking against a side who are highly rated and who would have expected to give Woking a run for their money. Johnson, McNerney and Parkinson were solid in defence, Sawyer ran the midfield and it was good to see Betsy back causing havoc with his surging runs into the opposition penalty area. Williams is beginning to look a class act in midfield and Sole is starting to regain fitness and sharpness following his long lay-off. Confidence and team spirit will not have been harmed by four victories in the last four friendly matches.

Woking: Sam Beasant, Adam Newton, John Nutter (Mike Cestor HT), Mark Ricketts (George Frith 66), Joe McNerney, Brett Johnson (Jack Parkinson HT), Lee Sawyer (Niall Wright 66), John Alcinde, Gavin McCallum (Guiseppe Sole HT), Gavin Williams (Josh Payne 66), Gavin McCullum (Oliver Taylor 66), Kevin Betsy.

Unused sub: Aaron Howe

Eastleigh: Ross Flitney, Dan Spence (Jai Reason HT), Michael Green, Will Evans, Dean Beckwith (Chris Dillon 74), Chris Todd, Jamie Collins, Glen Southam (Ben Strevens HT), Craig McAllister, Yemi Odubade (Damian Scannell 62), Stuart Fleetwood.


Attendance: 174

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