Sunday 1 January 2012

Eastleigh V Havant & Waterlooville - Postponed

Eastleigh V Havant & Waterlooville
This south coast derby had plenty of pre-match build up, including anxiety and nerves from both sets of fans, the two sides met just a week before this scheduled fixture, a game which saw both teams cancel each other out to share the spoils.
The home side would have gone into this game with a great deal of confidence despite the recent goalless encounter, having lost just one in their last eight league games.
Havant & Waterlooville would have been looking to improve on their current run of form, having won just one in six league games, keeping them fifteenth in the table.
Eastleigh manager, Ian Baird, would have been without skipper, Tom Jordan, in the reverse fixture, a player who has been consistent from the beginning of the season, featuring in every game so far this campaign.
Baird's opposite number, Shaun Gale, would inevitably have started 35-year-old, Sammy Igoe, who has been an influential midfielder for the Hawks all season long.
Fans waiting for a decision in the rain.
A win for Eastleigh could have seen them rise to ninth in the table, whilst Havant & Waterlooville would require a win to save themselves from a possible relegation battle come the second half of the season.
As the crowds gathered, the rain continued to pour at a constant frequency, fans entered the turnstiles with a re-assuring message 'money will be refunded if the game is postponed'.
Eventually, the officials appeared onto the pitch with the match ball, as the supporters watched nervously the referee rolled the ball up and down the centre of the pitch. A matter of minutes later, the referee shook his head to indicate the game had been called off. A decision which was fair and correct, but incredibly disappointing for both parties involved, who had been counting down the seconds for this match to start since Boxing day.
Waterlogged pitch: Match Officials postponed the match
After the referee's judgement, Spitfires' right back, Andy Forbes, commented "It was never going to be on". Outside the ground, home and away fans discussed the letdown "It's a pain, I've travelled all the way from Dorset, it was a Christmas present", an Eastleigh supporter said.
Both clubs will now have to wait until the fixture is re-arranged, it is likely the game will be played on a mid-week evening in one of the forthcoming days.

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