Russell Cotes Cup
Round 2
Eastleigh 6 RS Basingstoke 1
Wednesday, 27 November 2002
In a competition where not all of the teams most favoured to eventually win it fielded full strength teams Eastleigh put out a strong side to face RS Basingstoke. They included Christer Warren who has played 3 first team games for Bristol Rovers this season and David Laws who was a prolific marksman in ?Dr Martens? League football prior to joining Eastleigh. On the substitutes bench was Player/Assistant Manager David Hughes who was once selected as an unused substitute for the full Welsh side against Bulgaria and he played the final half hour against RS Basingstoke.
In the first 35 minutes, although Eastleigh had more of the play RS Basingstoke certainly had their attacking moments, with Winterbourne bringing Eastleigh goalkeeper Gage to his knees and Smart twice coming close. However 2 goals in the last 10 minutes of the half put Eastleigh in the driving seat. The first coming from a free kick from the left that was converted by Robbie Matthews and the second a well struck effort from outside the area by Sam Carter who had spent 3 years at Southampton F C as a trainee.
Half Time: 2-0
Early in the second half Hyde in the visitors goal made a good save from a Matthews free kick, but Eastleigh made it 3-0 when Jimmy Anderson got on the end of a free kick taken by Warren Kenna (brother of Eire international Jeff). RS Basingstoke pulled a goal back when Nathan Smart found himself clear on the right and took his chance well. Smart apparently only 17 years old did a lot of good running and was involved in most of his team?s best attacking movements. He was probably the best of his team?s players in this game. The goal gave the visitors a boost and they played well immediately afterwards, but goals by Kevin Reacord, Martin Beck and at the end David Hughes gave Eastleigh an eventual 6-1win.
RS Basingstoke's defeat should perhaps be seen in the context that Blackfield & Langley (twice), Peacehaven & Telscombe, Erith & Belvedere and Gosport Borough all at a higher level of the pyramid than RS have also been beaten by Eastleigh by a five goal margin this season.
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