Staines Town 0 Eastleigh 5

Steve Cordery enjoyed the luxury of being able to select the same starting eleven as at Dorchester the previous week, but this time, on a good pitch and up against a very mobile and physically strong team like Eastleigh, the absence of skipper Danny Gordon was particularly sorely missed.

Gordon is all but over his recent injury, but was not risked in this match, but it is to be hoped that he is soon 100 per cent fit again.

Also struggling with a hamstring niggle was Shaun Allaway, the returning goalkeeper, who was due to have gone out ‘on loan’ from today, but reported instead for treatment.

Eastleigh were expected to bring former Swans Player of the Year Mark Nwokeji, but he had been unexpectedly recalled from loan by AFC Wimbledon.

Before kick-off, there was a welcome to five intrepid Eastleigh supporters who had cycled all the way to the game over 24 hours to raise funds, a welcome to Swans twin mascots Georgia and Grace Garland (descendants of the club’s legendary goalscorer of the 40s, Alec Garland), and a guard of honour formed by Eastleigh’s U11 team.

The pitch was in very good condition, the weather bright and mild, and Staines began by attacking the Silver’s Farm end.

In fact, it would be more accurate to say Staines began by trying to defend the Penton Hook Road end, for within seconds they were on the back foot, grateful to Louis Wells’ reflexes in stopping a Chris Holland shot and then happy to see Tom Jordan’s follow-up go over the bar.

Then big Jamie Slabber headed wide from Taggart’s sixth-minute corner, but a minute later he opened his account that would see him find the target an amazing four times before the break.

The visitors were awarded a free kick on their left, some 40 yards out and not far from the benches, from which the home management were well placed to protest that they did not think the challenge was a foul one anyway. However, Richard Graham lofted in the kick, and Slabber ghosted away from the pack at the edge of the 18 yard box and glance his header into the far corner of Wells’ net. Staines had their first real chance son afterwards, when, following a free kick for a foul on Howard Newton, Richard Orlu found space in the box but his effort was blocked. After Butler had had his name taken for a challenge on Danny Smith, Scott Taylor drew a save from Jason Matthews with a drive from distance, and then André Scarlett headed just wide after Richard Butler had pumped the ball into the box. But just as Staines were beginning to find their feet, they found themselves two down in 19 minutes, when Warren Goodhind picked out Taggart, and he provided a clever diagonal pass inside to Slabber, who was given too much space and made no mistake when he powerfully slammed the ball into the roof of the net.

Things went quiet for some while, but in the 35th minute, Holland crossed to Jordan – son of Joe – and he was impeded in the box by Simon Jackson.

The Staines full back had his name taken, and Slabber drove in the penalty for a rapid hat-trick.As Staines were stretched time and again, McAuley darted down the flank and fired just over the bar, but visiting “Spitfires” fans did not have to wait beyond the 41st minute to see their side move into an unassailable 4-0 lead.

Taggart made his run down their right flank look easy, before cutting inside to slide the ball across the face of goal, and Slabber arrived at the back stick to sidefoot home, capping a remarkable half for him and his team.

Staines did try to respond, but Taylor’s curling shot went just past the post, and in the last seconds before the interval there was a flare up between Smith – who lunged in on Jackson – and the Staines man who reacted angrily. A less experienced referee than Paul Forrester might have dismissed the pair, but it was a credit to his man-management that he calmed the situation which was out of keeping with an otherwise hard fought yet sporting match. Dwane Lee got plenty of power behind the resulting free kick, but it was so high that it was more danger to Mr Silver’s horse than to Matthews in the Eastleigh goal.

Eastleigh seemed so keen to continue their good work that they came out very early for the second half, but they had a somewhat fractions start with Smith and Jordan picking up early yellow cards for fouls on Scarlett and Lee, but these and a couple of other home free-kicks were all to no avail.

Smith was withdrawn soon afterwards, and on the hour Staines mounted their most fluent move of the afternoon, as Taylor linked up with Howard to set up Butler, but he snatched at his shot and could not hit the target.

Marc Charles-Smith came off the bench for Staines, and was soon involved in a decent move that ended with Orlu going close.

At the other end, Taggart won the ball in midfield and pushed forward, but could not get his shot on target.

Eastleigh boss Ian Baird withdrew Slabber in the 65th minute, but if Staines thought that this represented the end of their woes, they were proved wrong just two minutes later when Shaun McAuley scored a brilliant solo goal, after receiving in a deep position from sub Anthony Riviere.

He advanced strongly, and then unleashed an unstoppable shot from well outside the box that flew into the top corner.

To their credit, Staines did keep going, and Dominic Sterling’s header from a René Steer corner was not too far wide.Taggart sent another speculative Eastleigh effort just wide, before Gordon was risked for the final 16 minutes. Staines ended the game with a number of half chances, as Steer again faded a shot just past the post, and then, in time added on, Scarlett picked out Charles-Smith with an accurate free kick, but Matthews maintained his unblemished afternoon by snatching the ball off his toes.

Eastleigh thus continued their good record over Staines, and avenged the only competitive Swans victory, achieved when Steve Cordery’s team won 4-1 at the Silverlake Stadium back in November.

Staines: Wells; Jackson, Steer, Sterling, Orlu, Scarlett ©, Newton (Gordon 74), D Lee, Butler, S Taylor, Harris (Charles-Smith 61); unused Duffy, D Thomas, Allaway (gk).

Eastleigh: Matthews, Goodhind (Adeniyi 65), Byles, Herring, Jordan ©, Holland, McAuley, Smith (Riviere 55), Slabber (Gillespie 65), Taggart, Graham; unused Barfoot (gk), J Brown.

Ref: PA Forrester (Luton, Beds); ARs: M Sage (Luton), G Viccars (Oldbrook, Milton Keynes); Att 393.