WONDER OF RYAN!
Debutant keeper protects Coulson double to steer Spitfires home
EASTLEIGH new boy Ryan Clarke had a debut to remember as he helped his side hang on for victory against a gallant Sutton United at Silverlake.
The former AFC Wimbledon goalkeeper earned praise from both managers after pulling off a string of fine saves including saving Bedsente Gomis’ late penalty to ensure Ronnie Moore’s men stayed in the National League play-off spots. Two goals in the space of five minutes from Spitfires midfielder Luke Coulson lit up an otherwise dull affair, and thanks to Clarke’s heroics at the other end, Moore’s side ensured that Ross Stearn’s strike for the Us was nothing more than consolation. “It was nerve wracking to be fair,” admitted a relieved Moore. “We should have been out of sight. We get two early goals first five minutes of the second half then they throw caution to the wind, knock everything long and but for the keeper we lose the game, no doubt about that. He’s made three wonderful saves. “We’re just disappointed with not keeping a clean sheet because we’re hanging on at home and we shouldn't be.” The best chance of an otherwise nondescript first half fell to Eastleigh’s Jake Howells five minutes before the break, but the former Luton winger, in space, shot wide of the post and there was precious little else to entertain the Spitfires’ largest crowd of the season of 2,853. On another day, the postmatch plaudits may have gone to Coulson, whose quickfire double in the opening exchanges of the second half gave the match a much-needed lift. As has often been the case under Moore, the Spitfires came out with all guns blazing after the interval and were ahead
within five minutes – Howells laying the opening goal on a plate for Coulson.
Coulson then made it three goals in two games just two minutes later, driving forward from Mikael Mandron’s lay-off and striking across keeper Ross Worner into the bottom corner of the net.
The Spitfires could have doubled that lead had Mandron or Joe Partington finished off two golden opportunities.
Sutton, to their credit, then poured forward and it was Clarke who came to the rescue with superb reaction saves to deny Simon Downer, and Stearn, the substitute, on two separate occasions.
He did let the substitutes hopeful long-range effort slip under him for Sutton’s only goal but more than made amends for that with his late penalty save.
Sutton boss Paul Doswell said: “It’s another mad five-minute spell and it’s cost us. It would be easy to throw the towel in at that point [2-0 down] but I thought my players were magnificent in that last half an hour, creating numerous chances, only to find a keeper in unbelievable form.
“He’s made four world class saves. The overriding feeling is that we played well second half and deserved something out of the game.”