Eastleigh Legends XI 5-2 Manchester United Ex-Players/Guests
With the smell of sun cream and nostalgia filling the air, former Eastleigh and Manchester United players rolled back the years at a sunny Silverlake Stadium for Michael Green’s Testimonial.
From the start, you could sense the love for the Spitfires legend, who entered the field to a guard of honour by both sets of players.
There was another touching moment at kick-off when Greener’s son, Leo, got the ball rolling.
It was the Spitfires legends who started the strongest and they took the lead on nine minutes when James Constable fired past Nick Culkin after he was slipped in by Craig McAllister.
A stroke of fortune afforded Matt Jansen the chance to level the score, after an attempted clearance fell into his path, allowing him to fire the ball past Ross Flitney from close range.
On the stroke of half-time Luke Chadwick rounded off a brilliant team move to edge the ex-United players in front just before the break.
The Spitfires came out firing in the second half and with the words of Matt Le Tissier and Francis Benali still ringing in their ears they levelled the score.
Ben Williamson pounced on a loose ball before releasing a curling effort towards the top corner which cannoned in off the underside of the crossbar.
Eastleigh reasserted their dominance after drawing level and went agonisingly close to taking the lead, Jai Reason’s attempt to lift the ball over the keeper’s head just clipped the wrong side of the crossbar on its way over.
The goal eventually did come and it started at the back with Flitney, his long ball found Constable on the right who pulled it back for Danny Hollands to smash into the bottom corner.
Three quickly became four on 81 minutes, Ben Strevens squared the ball to Odubade who returned the favour which allowed the former Eastleigh boss to shoot into the empty net.
Having come on as a second-half substitute, Matt Le Tissier flicked the ball up and attempted one of his long-range volleys from range, which forced a good save out of Culkin.
In the dying moments of the game, Odubade was brought down in the box and the referee pointed to the spot.
Fresh from the bench, carried on by his dad, Leo Green made no mistake from around six yards out as he left Culkin with no chance by firing the ball under the ‘keeper’s reach.
Eastleigh Legends XI: Ross Flitney, Yemi Odubade, Alex Wynter, Chris Todd, Dean Beckwith, Michael Green, Danny Hollands, Ben Stevens, Jai Reason, James Constable, Craig McAllister
Subs: Leo Green, Andy Cook, Paul Reid, Jason Brookes, Ben Williamson, Chris Dillon, Brett Williams, Matt Le Tissier, Francis Benali
Goals: Constable 9′, Williamson 49′, Hollands 75′, Strevens 81′, Leo Green 86′
Ex-Man Utd Players/Guests Squad: Nick Culkin, Keith Gillespie, Micky Gray, Sammy McIlroy, Lee Matin, Chris Casper, Joe Thompson, Matt Jansen, Danny Webber, Luke Chadwick, Russell Beardsmore, Scott Metcalf, Daniel Graham, Kieran Smith. Ahmad Hussain, Lee Hendrie
Goals: Jansen 16′, Chadwick 40′
Report by George Rees-Julien
