Eastleigh 1-3 Dover
Silverlake Stadium
01/09/12
att: 639
Simply the best!
Being unable to get to Fleetwood I looked for local games to attend, with two sticking out, so it was either this or Portsmouth v Oldham. I decided to leave it until the morning to make my decision, although my laziness ended up playing an important role. I woke up at about 11:30 and was informed Matthew wanted to go into Basingstoke. With trains being direct to Eastleigh my choice was made for me. Getting on the 13:33 I arrived in Eastleigh a little after 2. I started walking to the ground as their website said it was a 20 minute walk. This was obviously a lie as at 14:20 I was a little under half way there so made a decision to jump on a bus at a stop nearby. Luckily there were a couple of others going to the game and the driver was kind enough to drop us right outside the ground. I made my way to the turnstile where I asked for a student price (I'm not one to lie) although I wish I did as I was COMPLETELY RIPPED OFF. The guy at the turnstile said I couldn't unless I had ID. I said I had my passport to be told I need a student card. That would have been fine if it weren't for the fact I don't get one until Friday when I actually start College. I accept these are the rules, but it annoyed me. I begrudgingly handed over my £12 for sixth division football and made my way into the ground.
Hopefully my £12 can go to making the ground a bit better. I was severely underwhelmed, and I know from a conversation on Twitter I wasn't the only one. They didn't even have a proper terrace for crying out loud!. The ground has an official capacity of 3,000 of which 500 can be seated, with the majority of the ground looking fairly new. I have to question this figure as the record attendance is 3,191 for a friendly versus Southampton. The main stand houses 371 and is elevated above the ground. Behind one goal is a covered seating area and then the rest of the ground is hard standing. The whole of one side is covered to the rear, with bus stop benches available to those who want to use them. Behind the uncovered end is the old looking clubhouse and directors area, needless to say I didn't go in either. The only stand out feature of the ground is the spitfire hanging out of the main stand. This is in reference to the clubs nickname "the spitfires" which itself is in reference to the fact that the
Supermarine Type F37/34 Spitfire took it's first flight from the nearby Southampton (then Eastleigh) airport on the 5th of March 1936.
Eastleigh have come into the new season as one of the favourites to get promoted. One signing of note is Moses Ademola, who was a part of the Woking team that got promoted from the BSS last season. Dover are also a team that you get the impression of being "too big for this league" having a decent fan base, ground and the fact they are bigger than teams like Dartford (well there ground is!). Because of this I was hoping for a decent game, and a decent game is exactly what I got. Both teams were fairly level at the start, but it was Eastleigh who took the lead. After winning a free kick just inside their half the ball was looped in, for Craig McAllister to rise and head the ball past the static Dover goalie. After this the rest of the half was nearly all Dover. They had a goal disallowed for offside, but almost immediately won the ball back and Calum Willock slotted the equaliser past the Eastleigh goalie, former Southampton man Jack Dovey. The goal scorer then set up the second goal when his cross was side footed into the net. The second half was dominated by Eastleigh. They could have easily scored another two. The first was when a shot came in and rose up off the defender only to hit the under side of the bar and bounce back out. The second was a lovely curling shot from just outside the area that hit the top of the crossbar. Despite this Dover put the game to bed in the 85th minute when Billy Bicknell wandered into the area unmarked before standing around for a bit with the ball before realising he should score. Full time Eastleigh 1-3 Dover.
I guess I should give Dover fans some credit. There were a group of about 10 of them that really didn't stop all game and were louder than most FL teams I have come across like Burton. They didn't stick to generic rubbish either, songs like "the white cliffs of Dover" were a welcome change as well as the humorous singing of the French national anthem.
PDM man of the match: Ricky Modeste, I was thoroughly impressed with the Ex-football Idol star. A tricky winger who is comfortable on the ball and, in my opinion, could play at a higher level. No wonder the Dover fans chant for him is to the tune of "Simply the best"
Chant of the game: "All the money and you're Fu****g Sh*t" Dover fans in reference to Eastleigh's spending power
The Pie and Bovril: Both combined cost me £2.50, £1.25 if I had waited till the end of the game. Both were poor. The pie was undercooked, and very small with little to no meat, while the Bovril was simply revolting, although I'm not sure why I purchased the Bovril.
Hopefully my £12 can go to making the ground a bit better. I was severely underwhelmed, and I know from a conversation on Twitter I wasn't the only one. They didn't even have a proper terrace for crying out loud!. The ground has an official capacity of 3,000 of which 500 can be seated, with the majority of the ground looking fairly new. I have to question this figure as the record attendance is 3,191 for a friendly versus Southampton. The main stand houses 371 and is elevated above the ground. Behind one goal is a covered seating area and then the rest of the ground is hard standing. The whole of one side is covered to the rear, with bus stop benches available to those who want to use them. Behind the uncovered end is the old looking clubhouse and directors area, needless to say I didn't go in either. The only stand out feature of the ground is the spitfire hanging out of the main stand. This is in reference to the clubs nickname "the spitfires" which itself is in reference to the fact that the
Supermarine Type F37/34 Spitfire took it's first flight from the nearby Southampton (then Eastleigh) airport on the 5th of March 1936.
Eastleigh have come into the new season as one of the favourites to get promoted. One signing of note is Moses Ademola, who was a part of the Woking team that got promoted from the BSS last season. Dover are also a team that you get the impression of being "too big for this league" having a decent fan base, ground and the fact they are bigger than teams like Dartford (well there ground is!). Because of this I was hoping for a decent game, and a decent game is exactly what I got. Both teams were fairly level at the start, but it was Eastleigh who took the lead. After winning a free kick just inside their half the ball was looped in, for Craig McAllister to rise and head the ball past the static Dover goalie. After this the rest of the half was nearly all Dover. They had a goal disallowed for offside, but almost immediately won the ball back and Calum Willock slotted the equaliser past the Eastleigh goalie, former Southampton man Jack Dovey. The goal scorer then set up the second goal when his cross was side footed into the net. The second half was dominated by Eastleigh. They could have easily scored another two. The first was when a shot came in and rose up off the defender only to hit the under side of the bar and bounce back out. The second was a lovely curling shot from just outside the area that hit the top of the crossbar. Despite this Dover put the game to bed in the 85th minute when Billy Bicknell wandered into the area unmarked before standing around for a bit with the ball before realising he should score. Full time Eastleigh 1-3 Dover.
I guess I should give Dover fans some credit. There were a group of about 10 of them that really didn't stop all game and were louder than most FL teams I have come across like Burton. They didn't stick to generic rubbish either, songs like "the white cliffs of Dover" were a welcome change as well as the humorous singing of the French national anthem.
PDM man of the match: Ricky Modeste, I was thoroughly impressed with the Ex-football Idol star. A tricky winger who is comfortable on the ball and, in my opinion, could play at a higher level. No wonder the Dover fans chant for him is to the tune of "Simply the best"
Chant of the game: "All the money and you're Fu****g Sh*t" Dover fans in reference to Eastleigh's spending power
The Pie and Bovril: Both combined cost me £2.50, £1.25 if I had waited till the end of the game. Both were poor. The pie was undercooked, and very small with little to no meat, while the Bovril was simply revolting, although I'm not sure why I purchased the Bovril.