TT MATCH PREVIEW – Eastleigh FC (H) by Steve Harris

TT PREVIEW

Steve Harris – @steveharris84

Steve Harris previews the game at Plainmoor

TORQUAY UNITED VS EASTLEIGH FC

Venue: Plainmoor, Torquay

Date: Friday 7th April 2023

Kick-off: 3pm

CURRENT FORM

Torquay: L, L, D, L, W, W

Eastleigh: W, L, W, L, W, D

TOP SCORERS

Torquay: Aaron Jarvis (14)

Eastleigh: Danny Whitehall (12)

HEAD TO HEAD

Torquay: 3

Draw: 2

Eastleigh: 10

EASTLEIGH FACTFILE

Year founded: 1946

Nickname: The Spitfires

Last season’s league finish: 19^th in National League

Notable honours:

Conference/Blue Square/National League South:

Winners: 2013-14

MANAGER: LEE BRADBURY

Isle of Wight born Lee Bradbury took charge of the Spitfires in February 2022, following the departure of Ben Strevens.

His managerial career began in 2011, when he succeeded Eddie Howe as manager of AFC Bournemouth on a caretaker basis before he was appointed on permanent basis. In his first season, the 2010-11 campaign, he led the Cherries to the League One play-offs. However, a poor run of form saw him dismissed in March 2012.

Later that year, Bradbury was appointed as manager of Havant and Waterlooville, who he guided to back-to-back promotions between the Isthmian Premier Division to the National League in successive seasons – 2016-17 & 2017-18 – before they were relegated back to National League South in the 2018-19 campaign.

He then left the Hawks in 2019 and then a brief spell as Eastbourne Borough manager, which was followed by a stint as assistant manager to John Yems at Crawley Town – a position which he held until his appointment as Eastleigh manager.

As a player, Bradbury started out in the professional game with Portsmouth in 1995 after leaving the Army and later earned moves to Manchester City and Crystal Palace. Spells with Walsall, Oxford United and Southend United then followed before he finished his playing career with AFC Bournemouth in 2011.

OPPOSITION Q&A – Eastleigh FC by George Rees-Julian

PLAYER TO WATCH: AARON MARTIN

A familiar face to Gary Johnson from his time as Yeovil Town manager, Aaron Martin began his career with Eastleigh in 2007 before moving to Southampton in November 2009. He spent time on loan at Salisbury City towards the end of the 2009–10 campaign, and then played 18 league games across the course of two successive promotions that took Southampton from League One into the Premier League in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons respectively. He then spent the 2012–13 season on loan at Crystal Palace and Coventry City.

After missing the first half of the 2013–14 campaign through injury, he signed with Birmingham City and played eight Championship games – after his Southampton contract was ended by mutual consent in January 2014. In the summer of 2014, he joined Yeovil and later returned to Coventry on loan in October 2014 and signed permanently with the club three months later. Released by Coventry, he signed with Oxford United in June 2016, where he would remain for two years before moving on to Exeter City. He played for Exeter in the 2020 League Two play-off final alongside Dean Moxey, which ended in defeat to Northampton Town.

Martin then moved north of the border to sign for Hamilton Academical, then of the Scottish Premiership in November 2020, and returned to England at the end of the 2020–21 campaign to sign for Port Vale. He helped the Valiants to win promotion out of League Two via the play-offs in 2022, before returning the South of England later in the summer to re-join Eastleigh.

MARTIN STATS:

Position: Centre Back

Date of Birth: 29th September 1989 – 33 years-old

Place of Birth: Newport (IoW)

Height: 1.90m

Former Clubs: Eastleigh, Southampton, Salisbury, Crystal Palace, Coventry, Birmingham, Yeovil, Oxford, Exeter City, Hamilton, Port Vale

NL Stats 22-23: Played 28, Goals 0, Yellow/Red Cards 3/0

OLD BOYS

Torquay: None

Eastleigh: None

LAST MEETING

Eastleigh 1-0 Torquay United

Tuesday 25th October 2022

A Danny Whitehall penalty made it three wins out of three against ten man Torquay United.

Whitehall stepped up to convert from the spot after he was felled in the 33^rd minute, which saw the Spitfires edge ahead of the Gulls, who found themselves at a numerical disadvantage a minute later when Aaron Jarvis received a second yellow card for a late challenge on Brennan Camp.

Despite being a man down, United almost snatched a late equaliser when skipper Asa Hall was deflected behind for a corner in second half injury time.