Post by Stewart on Nov 4, 2013 18:11:49 GMT
7:00am Monday 4th November 2013 in Sport By Wendy Gee
SATURDAY’S Skrill Conference South summit meeting at Gander Green Lane was overshadowed by an extraordinary slanging match between Eastleigh managers past and present.
Sutton United boss Paul Doswell – the man who guided Eastleigh from the Wessex ranks all way to non-League’s second tier – set the tone for an ill-tempered afternoon when he spoke of the Spitfires’ “exceptional” budget and claimed that his old club were “so far ahead of everyone else” that winning the league should be a “fait accompli”.
But following Saturday’s tetchy 1-1 draw in which Mitchell Nelson – one of six former Spitfires in the Us’ matchday squad – was sent off after just 23 minutes, Hill turned the tables on his Silverlake predecessor by claiming that it is Sutton and not Eastleigh who are the real big spenders.
With Nelson having walked for a nasty challenge on Stuart Fleetwood right in front of the Eastleigh dugout, the visitors grabbed a 40th-minute lead when full-back Michael Green’s angled shot from the left slithered through ’keeper Tom Lovelock on the wet surface and Craig McAllister raced in behind to stab it over the line.
But, even with ten men, Sutton were the more adventurous side and hit back three minutes after the break – albeit with a dubiously awarded penalty.
Will Evans, on as a half-time sub for the injured Fleetwood, was deemed to have brought down another ex-Spitfire Damian Scannell just inside the penalty area and Craig Dundas netted a venomously struck spot kick.
Photographic evidence has since shown that Evans’ initial contact was about a foot outside the box, but only the most partisan of Spitfires fans would have begrudged the ten-man Us a share of the spoils.
With Bromley beating Dorchester 4-1, Eastleigh have dropped to second in the table, a point shy of top spot.
Sutton – unbeaten in all competitions since August 24 – are fourth, five points adrift of the Spitfires with a game in hand.
Asked if he was disappointed to draw having played three-quarters of the game with a man advantage, Hill said: “Not at all. Don’t forget Sutton are a very good side who were playing at home and, at 1-0 down, they had nothing to lose.
“Whatever people say about Eastleigh, I think you’ve seen the big money team today, which is Sutton.
“I know what Damian Scannell is earning and I know what I offered Dale Binns (to stay at Eastleigh) and he turned me down flat and signed for Sutton a couple of days later.
“Sutton also signed Charlie Clough from Dorchester for £10,000, so you’ve seen who the big spenders are.
“I could have taken the lad Jamie Taylor, but when I heard what Sutton had offered him, I advised him to go and sign for them.
“A lot of the players I’ve had at Eastleigh have joined other Conference South clubs. I know what we were paying them and they were contract players so they won’t have gone for less.” Doswell, though, was having none of it, insisting: “I’ve actually seen Eastleigh’s wage bill and we’re on half that amount, so he can come out with all the claims he wants. Everyone in the league knows the true story and that’s why everyone wants to beat Eastleigh.
“You talk about respect with people. I haven’t got any respect for him (Hill) whatsoever.”
Nelson’s dismissal and McAllister’s goal apart, Saturday’s first half was a largely forgettable affair.
Dundas’s leveller added spice after the break and Scannell, who had gone on as a 19th-minute substitute for ex-Lincoln marksman Taylor, should have won it for the Us on 79 minutes.
Binns pumped the ball forward and, with Dean Beckwith misjudging it, it took some smart thinking by Flitney to thwart substitute James Folkes. The ball broke for Scannell to the left of goal and, with the net gaping, his curling effort bent wide of the far post.
The Spitfires, too, had chances to win it – most notably two blocked shots in quick succession from Ben Strevens and McAllister following a low cross by sub Dan Spence. The second block had a hint of handball about it, but referee Martin Dexter waved away appeals.
“I thought we had a good shout for a penalty for handball and I think the penalty we conceded was outside the area, but take nothing away from Sutton, they played well today,” admitted Hill.
“Mitchell Nelson’s a lovely lad and I’ve got a lot of time for him, but he is prone to making the kind of challenge he made on Stuart Fleetwood and Fleets has got a nasty cut at the bottom of his shin.
“There was a lot of commitment and endeavour out there from both sides today, but the conditions weren’t great.
“But that’s four points we’ve taken from Sutton this season and with that sort of return against every team, we’ve got a good chance of being where we want to be.”
Eastleigh return to action tomorrow away to Dover Athletic, scene of last season’s play-off semi-final defeat.
Link via Google Alerts.
www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/10782162.Hill_and_Doswell_in_budget_bust_up/
