IMPRESSIVE: Mark Hann, left, on the ball for Eastleigh against Bognor Regis yesterday.
MASTER marksman Andy Forbes fired Eastleigh back up to third in the Blue Square South play-off race with his 23rd goal of another prolific season.
But it was winger Matt Hann who caught the eye of Spitfires boss Ian Baird during a priceless 1-0 win over Bognor Regis Town played in front of a 739-strong Silverlake Stadium crowd yesterday.
With pacy winger Mark Marshall ruled out after dropping a glass on his foot at home on Sunday, this was Hann's big chance to shine.
The former Peterborough United wideman, signed from St Albans City last September, has been named as many times on the bench this season as he has in the starting line-up.
Prior to yesterday, he had not started a game since the 0-0 draw at Sutton on February 16.
But Marshall's ill-timed domestic mishap handed him an unexpected route back into the side and he was unlucky not to mark his comeback with a goal.
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With the game just five minutes old, he scampered onto a long throughball from outstanding midfielder Peter Adeniyi but slipped at the critical moment with only the keeper to beat.
Then on 35 minutes, Forbes' far-post cross from the right was met by a cushioned header from Paul Sales into the six-yard box which only just passed Hann by.
"Matt's been a bit like Mr Angry where he's not been getting a run in the side and we got a really good reaction from him today," said Baird.
"I was pleased with his performance - he was our main threat.
"Losing Mark Marshall was a blow, but it's given someone else an opportunity and Matt's taken his chance.
"Mark dropped a glass on his foot in the kitchen at home and has had seven stitches, but we don't know yet how long he'll be out for."
Eastleigh asked all the first-half questions against a Bognor side who, despite their lowly position, had come good of late with just one defeat in their previous six games.
With the tenacious Adeniyi scrapping for everything in midfield and Forbes and Sales holding the ball up superbly up front, the only thing the Spitfires lacked was a cutting edge.
Towering defender Ashley Vickers went close with two headers - one deflected wide and one disappearing just over - around the 25-minute mark and, five minutes later, Sales was unlucky with an attempted overhead kick after more good hold-up play by Forbes.
The ball spent so long in Bognor's half at that stage, that the crowd were in danger of developing cricks in the neck.
But the Rocks finally broke out the brink of half-time with ex-Saint Seb Wallis-Taylor firing over on the angle and then former Eastleigh winger Alex Haddow conjuring up his second dangerous cross of the match - this time from the left - which keeper Jason Matthews again did well to hold.
Ironically, the Spitfires were nowhere near as dominant after the break, yet they scored from their only serious chance of the half.
It came in true route one' fashion on 54 minutes when Matthews' long punt found Sales just inside the box and he slipped a clever pass through to the predatory Forbes who tucked it away from close range.
The rest of the half was awash with half chances for Bognor, yet not once did Matthews have a crucial save to make.
Just prior to the goal, Haddow should have done better than to blast wastefully high of an empty net after Matthews had punched Scott Chamberlain's awkward high ball out to the edge of the box and the introduction of striker Luke Nightingale gave the Rocks added menace late on.
With striker Warren McBean replacing David Hughes and then midfielder Fitzroy Simpson coming on for Vickers, the versatile Forbes dropped back first into midfield and then into central defence as Eastleigh battled to hang onto their slender lead.
Bognor kept pressing and it needed the close attentions of Simpson to put Chris Breach off his shot in the 90th minute after Matthews had got his fist to Charlie Balfe's dangerous cross.
"The first half was the best we've played for a while. We didn't do so well in the second half, but the wind was more a factor than a lot of people gave it credit for," said Baird.
"We looked a bit leggy towards the end, but you'd expect that after the Newport game on Saturday where we played for an hour with ten men.
"The teams around us won today, apart from Eastbourne, and I still think we need three wins from our last six games (to make the play-offs).
"Like I keep on saying, all we can do is keep looking after ourselves."
Eastleigh: Jason Matthews, Andy Harris, Chris Piper, Karl Murray, Luke Byles, Ashley Vickers (Fitzroy Simpson, 79), Peter Adeniyi, Andy Forbes, Paul Sales (Steve Watts, 84), David Hughes (Warren McBean, 66), Matt Hann. Subs: (not used) Adam Everitt, Gareth Howells. Attendance: 739
Posted by: Steve, Lymington on 12:52pm Tue 25 Mar 08
See that Bashley look like they can secure a play-off place for the Southern Conf. at home on saturday, can we expect any word on that from the Echo and Wendy??
See that Bashley look like they can secure a play-off place for the Southern Conf. at home on saturday, can we expect any word on that from the Echo and Wendy??
Posted by: Loud & Proud EFC, Bishopstoke on 2:28pm Wed 26 Mar 08
Andy Forbes is the best Striker/Wide midfielder/Center back in this league.He has played in each of these positions in the last 2 games.When called apon.
I agree Steve is a real pity that Bashley & The Echo can't sort their differences out so that all the fans of non league in the area.Can read about Bashleys great season on & off the pitch.
See youve signed Danny Smith permanatly now.He's a class footballer and a very nice bloke too.
Good luck in your run in.
Andy Forbes is the best Striker/Wide midfielder/Center back in this league.He has played in each of these positions in the last 2 games.When called apon.
I agree Steve is a real pity that Bashley & The Echo can't sort their differences out so that all the fans of non league in the area.Can read about Bashleys great season on & off the pitch.
See youve signed Danny Smith permanatly now.He's a class footballer and a very nice bloke too.
Good luck in your run in.
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