Previous columns can be found under the match report of the game to which they refer.

Paul's view on the Eastleigh game

I thought we were poor at Eastleigh. We made a good start in the first fifteen or twenty minutes, but as you could see the pitch wasn’t a pitch on which to play your normal football, and I think we were a bit naïve. The referee called me at about half past one as I was coming to the ground wanting to call the game off, and I think Ian Baird was of the view as well that it might not be playable, but we got here and thought it was playable, but you can’t really use the pitch as an excuse – Eastleigh played it particularly well and we didn’t. 

You get what you pay for in strikers and Bradley Bubb’s a top striker. He was a top striker at Farnborough last season as well, and it was the difference today. They were three great finishes, because on that pitch it was difficult to strike the ball even if you were clean through, so for the quality and the cridpness of his strkes he deserves credit. 

I don’t think it was a pitch for either Craig Watkins or Joel Ledgister today – it was so clammy that they couldn’t really get their feet going, so as they were struggling it was a chance to get Kyle Vassell on the pitch and also Leroy. We needed the shot from Anthony Riviere to go in when it was 2-0 – whether it was over the line or not I’m not sure – but that would have made it 2-1 and then you’ve always got a chance, but they went back up the pitch and made it 3-0. But let’s be honest, we weren’t good today. We missed Sam Page, but he wasn’t fit to play and you can’t always have what you want, but there are no excuses as we were well beaten by a team that will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season. 

Sam should be Ok to return against Eastbourne next week. He needed a couple of games out, which he’s had, so he should be back in. We’ll absolutely be looking to bounce back, and if we can pick up a win next week we’ll be on our way again.