Chelmsford City 2 Eastleigh 2 (From Chelmsford Weekly News)

Chelmsford City 2 Eastleigh 2

10:04am Monday 8th February 2010

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

EASTLEIGH burst into the lead twice but were “desperate for the final whistle in the end” according to Chelmsford City Head Coach Glenn Pennyfather, who saw his side twice claw back deficits through skipper Dave Rainford and substitute Anthony Cook.

Richard Gillespie and Stafforde Palmer put the Spitfires in front on two occasions in a below-par first half for the hosts, who improved after the break and equalised again late-on.

Glenn claimed: “A draw was a fair result as it was an ugly game and Eastleigh are that type of side who don’t look to pass it too often.

"They’re route one but you’ve got to deal with that as some teams want to play it short and some want to turn you round and play it long.

"I’m pleased with a point in the end, but if we’d had another five minutes we could have nicked it as they were desperate for the final whistle in the end.”

Marlon Patterson returned to the line-up having been cup-tied in last weekend’s FA Trophy clash with Oxford United.

He was named in place of Cook, who was still suffering slightly with injury.

Elsewhere, up-front newcomer Simon Thomas was selected after arriving from Crystal Palace via Billericay Town and Colchester United, signing the day before the game. As a result, Rob Edmans became a potential impact substitute.

Ian Baird’s away side made the ideal start as they bid to jump into the play-off places, moving ahead as early as the fourth minute.

A speculative long ball forward dropped in front of Gillespie who outpaced his marker and calmly poked low past the advancing goalkeeper Ashley Harrison into the bottom corner.

At the other end, Matthew Lock almost crept on to a delicate lobbed pass from Rainford and into the area, though the Clarets looked more likely to concede than equalise at this stage, a frantic scramble in their own goalmouth presenting numerous opportunities to a selection of Eastleigh forwards who contrived to squander them all, Chelmsford’s defence breathing a sigh of relief as the ball was eventually pumped clear.

The Clarets could already have been out of the game around the half-hour mark, but a 31st-minute equaliser changed the complexion of the fixture.

A deep Lock free-kick was sent into the penalty area where Rainford jumped highest to help the ball over ‘keeper Jason Matthews with the top of his head and into the net.

However, in first-half injury time the latest of Eastleigh’s series of threatening corners bore fruit as a flag-kick seemed to travel straight in, Browne making sure from underneath the crossbar at the far post.

Pennyfather wasn’t amused by his team’s performance in the first period and made his stance clear in the dressing room at half-time.

Yet it was still Eastleigh who posed the most threat after an hour’s play when a looping cross hit the head of Tony Taggart and went wide.

Several half-chances, including one for Ricky Holmes, materialised though it was the contribution of two substitutes that secured a point for Chelmsford.

Edmans’ initial strike from around the penalty spot was pushed back out by Matthews, but only into the path of Cook at an angle on the right, who finished expertly along the ground, leaving Pennyfather to summarise: “When you play six-pointers it’s important you don’t lose.

"I was pleased with the character in the second half because in the first half I thought we were awful.

"You have to battle and compete against teams like Eastleigh, which we did in the end and got another point towards our ultimate goal.”

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)